The Radiant Sailor Moon
by Ken VanCillis
Summary: [CURRENTLY: Nephrite] Usagi Tsukino has just been given mysterious powers and a sacred duty. But who are these other girls with their own powers? What is this evil entity targeting Tokyo? Who is the masked man? And what is the importance of Imperium? (AU; based on first half of Dark Kingdom arc)
1. SILVER MILLENNIUM - ? Years Ago

[ **6 Jul 2019** \- Updates to the story! Mostly grammatical and plot-clarifying, nothing story-changing. Enjoy the playlist!]

Welcome to **The Radiant Sailor Moon**! Please take your time while reading through. This will be a fun journey! There's a lot packed into each chapter for dedicated Moonies and newbies alike!

For quick reference: acts named after locations are character intros, and acts named after songs are full episodes (can you catch the hidden lyrics written into each act?) Feel free to comment or just follow along quietly! I hope that you enjoy my take on the Sailor Moon story!

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DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love. Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

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 **SILVER MILLENNIUM – [?] Years Ago**

Slowly, strenuously, she opened her eyes. Her strained vision was blurry and double. As she struggled to lift her lithe form off of the ground, things came slowly back into focus. Her heart broke anew as she once again took in the horrifying spectacle…

Her daughter, the bright-eyed light of her life, heir to her throne, lay dead. The young woman, face wet with tears, sword lodged in her chest, now rested on top of her slain Earthly lover. Their blood, united in death, pooled on the dusty gray surface.

She made her way to her feet, surveying the battlefield before her with sorrow. Her daughter and would-be son-in-law were not the only dear souls cut down this day. Amid the carnage, she easily recognized the shimmering garments of the four guardians; her beloved senshi. The young ladies whom she hand-picked for duty herself. Those who grew with, laughed with, trained with, and swore to protect her daughter until their last breath. Sadly, they had fulfilled their promise.

Tears pulled at her eyes, but time was of the essence. A strange, violet light shone in the distance, telling her that the devastation was far from complete. As she gathered her bearings, a burgundy jewel caught her eye. She knew immediately where it came from and picked it up. The shaken yet regal woman took one last mournful look at her child's body, turned, and ran towards the temple, her two long, silver ponytails flowing behind her.

The final cost of war spread out before her during this final trip. Her palace, the crown jewel of Silver Millennium, reduced to ruins. Scores, hundreds of Earth's finest warriors littered the ground – spears, armor and all – thanks to the hands of her guardians. They had been taught to avoid killing whenever possible, but Earth's soldiers came with such a singular focus on destruction and so brazenly slaughtered the peaceful citizens of the moon, that the guardians were left with no choice. The four of them had fought so beautifully, so gracefully, and so tirelessly that the situation was in a manageable state even before reinforcements from beyond the asteroids arrived. Victory was almost assured.

Breathing hard and leaning against the miraculously unscathed temple door, the queen took a glance into the distance. Earth high above the lunar horizon looked so clear, so tranquil today. How ironic. If only they knew what was coming. A faint gleam to the right of the globe caught her attention. Her grey-silver eyes darted to the location, where she could faintly make out the crystalline structure moving past the planet. The energy that she had placed within the seal would keep the evil entity trapped and moving away from Earth and its future inhabitants forever…hopefully. By that time in the struggle, she was already weakened. And this…this…malignance, was unlike anything she had ever encountered.

It was clear to the queen, the princess, the guardians, and the prince that this entity had corrupted and influenced the people of Earth into this war. Especially strong was its hold on those leading the invading forces through the swirling portal: the four remarkable young men who had served her daughter's royal suitor – and had become quite involved with her senshi – and the unknown woman, wielding sword and sorcery, calling herself the new Queen of Earth.

True distress had gripped the Moon Queen, to have watched those young men, possessed by something otherworldly, slay and be slain by the wonderful young women who doubled as their friends and lovers. She recalled the inconsolable fear, shock, and bewilderment on the face of the young prince as he watched his generals, his most trusted friends, destroy love and light in a mad frenzy.

The queen opened the door and walked softly into the temple. At the altar, her two most trusted advisors, high priest and priestess, were praying. She allowed herself a small smile. Through all of this trouble, her two sentinels kept watch. As she approached the pair, the female looked up from her prayer. Their eyes met. Years of companionship allowed them to communicate without saying a word. With just that one look, the raven-haired woman knew the entire situation. She rose from the altar and embraced her ruler and best friend. Tears began to flow into the priestess' hair. That gentle, loving hug was all that it took for the final nightmarish frames to replay in the queen's mind.

She saw her daughter clutching the handsome young man as he brandished the sparkling sword. The skills of the self-proclaimed queen had finally put the moon's reinforcements on their backs despite their special weapons. As the sorceress approached the lovers, a dark red aura flew off of her like the flares of a star. Massive and intense, to look upon it was to almost see a laughing face peering back. The woman laid her claim to Earth…and to its prince. She accused him of betraying his home planet for a little bun-headed whore and an alliance with a dangerous enemy. The only absolution: conquering the Moon Kingdom, marrying the new Queen of Earth, and spilling the blood of the Moon Princess. The prince refused and moved aggressively to protect his love from his prosecutor. With swordplay that exhibited her expertise in war, the sorceress dislodged the sword from his hand, sheathed her own bejeweled saber, and caught the prince's weapon out of the air by the hilt, with the blade firmly under his chin. A self-satisfied smirk momentarily tugged at her lips. The entire exchange took less than five seconds.

The Moon Queen had seen enough. She began an incantation of sealing, but the devilish apparition sensed the spell. With an explosion of maroon light, the monarch was lashed down. Her daughter saw the violent action and instinctively ran towards her mother…the opportunity that the sorceress was waiting for. Grabbing the young princess by the back of her dress – right where the decorative, transparent butterfly wings were attached – the soon-to-be assassin unceremoniously threw the girl to the ground. As the Moon Queen looked up and screamed, the sorceress drove the sword down…

…into the heart of the prince. He had thrown himself between the blade and his true love.

The wound was fatal and fast acting. Unable to speak, trembling from shock and blood loss, the young prince took the hand of his beloved and kissed it before expiring.

The princess' eyes and voice quivered, "En…Endymion?"

Sweating and staggering backwards with a look of horror on her face, the sorceress let the sword go. The portal from Earth collapsed as the sword stood erect in its victim's wound. She began to softly shake her head. The Moon Queen, while in sorrowful astonishment herself, noticed that the flame aura dissipated quite a bit as her new enemy shivered in grief. She re-centered herself and resumed the incantation. Tapping the powerful energy reserves in her body, she directed a pure, white beam at the entity, causing a crystal substance to begin to envelop it. The entity shrieked and exerted blasts of more energy in order to resist. The battle of power caused so much physical stress to the sorceress that her body was literally ripped apart. The Moon Queen had to focus all of her concentration on sealing the demon within the magical enclosure. In her desperation to banish the evil, she didn't notice her daughter's switch from uncontrollable screaming and bawling to stunned silence with a sudden fascination with the shining sword in her lover's breast. It wasn't until the sealing was almost complete that the queen, on the verge of unconsciousness due the expenditure of energy, looked over and saw that the princess, on the ground, with the dead prince's head in her lap, held the blade over her heart…

…and thrust it in.

The ladies gently broke the embrace and the priestess cradled the Moon Queen's face in her hands. She gave her queen a moment to calm down before pursuing for answers. While devoted and supporting, the priestess was also uncompromisingly practical.

"The sealing?" she asked.

The queen shook her head. "I'm not certain. Once she…she…"

The priestess wiped away the fresh tears. "You did everything you could. Let us pray for the best." She looked up to the sky through the open-air roof. She frowned. "What of the artifacts?"

"They have resonated," the queen said dejectedly. "Before I completely passed out, I saw them come together."

The priestess' heart skipped a beat. As if on cue, the ground beneath them began to shake ever so slightly.

"My queen!" The priest had just finished his prayers and was now walking towards the women. He was rubbing his white hair in a nervous fashion. "Is it time for us to…" He paused to choose his words carefully. "…to take the…final option?"

Her warm, sad stare directly into his green eyes answered the question for him. He exhaled deeply, swallowed hard, and nodded his head once. He was completely loyal to his duty. He held his hand out to his long-time comrade.

"Alright, Luna. Let's go."

Taking his hand, she looked from him to the altar. The two of them had already been through so much together. Their job serving the Moon Kingdom had proven to be the most fulfilling in the entire cosmos. But they always knew that their lofty positions came with sacrifice. Accepting the arduous call, the two of them made their final bipedal walk.

The queen followed them to the altar, where they all knelt. The priest and priestess turned to face the queen. She took the face of the priest into her hands. Their eyes met for the last time. He continued to project an air of confidence, though it poorly masked his uneasiness.

"Queen Serenity, it's always an honor to serve you."

Queen Serenity gave him a warm smile. "Thank you, Artemis." She kissed him on his forehead. A crescent moon symbol began to glow on the very spot of the kiss.

She moved over to Luna. The queen gently rubbed the priestess' shoulders in order to alleviate some of her nerves. Luna kept her head down. "What's the matter?"

Luna spoke quietly. "I still think about the day of the princess' birth. The peculiar wind that came through the door of space-time. And today, when that…strange energy appeared, my hair stood on end just the same. I know they're connected."

"As do I," the queen confirmed. "If you're fortunate, you may yet get to solve the mystery!"

Luna looked up and chuckled as they shared a smile through the tears. "That might prove difficult with the shape I'll be in!" she quipped.

The queen took her friend's face into her hands and kissed her in the same manner. An identical mark appeared and glowed as Artemis' did. As the demolition outside began to ramp up, the group took each other's hands. Queen Serenity led the prayer.

"My dear daughter, protected by the moon, please be surrounded by a stable, loving family. Grow up happy. Grow up healthy. Bring joy to everyone that you encounter, exactly as you have here at my side. Love your earthly family, but always remember who you are. And when you awaken, harness all of your abilities, and fulfill the beautiful destiny waiting only for you.

"Prince Endymion, protected by the Earth, let your love for my daughter live through the ages. Be drawn to her, find her, protect her, and love her. Your bravery and honor will endure and be an inspiration to your world.

"Darling senshi, protected by Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, in the future you will once again stand by my daughter's side. When that time comes, be compassionate, be bold, be confident, be strong. Come together and form the senshi once more. Until then, live lives of love and fun. Your guardian planet will guide you.

"Fallen warriors from beyond, protected by Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, take your rest. You will awaken one day and resume your duties. Your jobs are solitary and lonely, but of deep importance. Have the strength and courage to do what others are unable to. Stand watch and defend all we hold dear at all costs.

"To the tainted souls of Earth and especially to the four generals loyal to the prince: may you be free from this evil alien influence and rebuild your beautiful planet. Embrace love, reject war. Never lose your sense of wonder as you look to the heavens."

Queen Serenity placed her palms on the foreheads of Luna and Artemis. Though exhausted and nearly drained, the love that she had for the princess and her companions infused her with the power to summon the needed energy. Bright light radiated throughout the temple.

"Luna, find my daughter. Be firm with her, coach and develop her. Even when she frustrates you, treat her with patience and love…much like you've done already.

"Artemis, you will find the first senshi to awake, and prepare her to lead the others. Her training will be integral to their growth. The revival of the senshi rests on your success.

"Luna, Artemis, thank you for accepting this charge. As a team, you will guide my daughter and the senshi. Be their teachers, be their mentors, return them to being the ladies and warriors that we know them as now."

The bodies of Luna and Artemis began to glow as the white light became blinding. Their robes dissolved as the very shape of their bodies commenced a change. They began to shrink…and grow fur…and whiskers…and tails. "Take your forms, and revive when the time comes." The light dissipated, and on the floor of the temple were now two cats, one black, one white, both with a golden crescent moon symbol on their head. The cats were both asleep.

Queen Serenity picked the napping felines up and cradled them as she walked behind the altar. She leaned against the wall for support and craned her neck to the sky. Her weary heart was lightened as she marveled at the beautiful sight. Like a nebula of sparkling dust and crystal, the essence of the souls of the fallen, their star seeds, flowed across the vast expanse. The river of light was winding its way towards Earth. Despite her dimming vision and the increased debris being forced into the atmosphere, she could easily make out the radiance of her daughter's seed. A fabulous silver shine that clearly illuminated the other familiar seeds in its vicinity. The queen smiled. Her daughter was safe. She placed her hand on the stone wall, causing several indicator lights on its surface to flicker. Soft mechanical whirring emanated from the edifice, and an automatic door slid open.

As she took a step inside, a sudden, chilly gale knocked her off-balance, down to her knees. She caught herself with one hand, careful not to drop the cats. A sense of dread overtook her. This wind, cold and foreboding, felt an awful lot like the one Luna obsessed over: the ominous specter that stemmed from somewhere beyond the great door of space-time. Could this be the same? Luna, even seemed to twitch in her arm. The queen feebly looked back to the sky, but it was completely covered as the annihilation neared its apex. She couldn't worry about what a space-time disturbance would do to the path of the star seeds. But how could she not? Would that wicked wind disperse the seeds? Causing them to bloom in different places? At different times? Would the senshi come together? Would her daughter and the prince find each other?

The queen drew herself to her full height and took one deep, cleansing breath. At this point, doubt could be acknowledged, but not indulged. As her priestess said, she had done all that she could do. Her prayers had been sent. She had to trust that the best would happen. Right now, with mere seconds left in the history of Silver Millennium, was the time to complete her work.

She quickly made her way down the stairs into the sublunarian lair. The room was expansive and impressive. The technology of the Moon Kingdom far surpassed that of Earth, helping to make travel and the study of science much more robust. Looking to the right, she found the familiar room. The one that was at the root of all of the current problems: the teleportation room. Walking in, she reacquainted herself with her surroundings: the circular pad used to send people and things down to various places on Earth, the control room where the engineers kept the teleporter and other machines running, and the emergency wall which held necessary items for any imaginable contingency. It was from this wall that the queen took two cat-sized pods. The queen placed Artemis and Luna in their own pods, and attached a collar around each of their necks. From her gown, she produced the burgundy jewel that she took from the battle. She placed it within a capsule on Artemis' collar. She then sealed them with a typed in code, and positioned the two on the pad. A strong quake caused her to stumble on her way to the control room. Fighting the moving ground, she made her way to the room and pressed the emergency activation button. The pad began to glow with concentric white lights and in a flash, the pods were gone.

Queen Serenity collapsed on the floor of the control room. The shaking was beginning to subside, only to be replaced by something much more chilling: the sound of silence. Oxygen was quickly thinning, and even in the fortified underground bunker, the violet light was shining through. The queen truly hoped that the technology, much of it designed and crafted by one of her genius senshi, would somehow survive the cataclysm and keep the memories of Silver Millennium alive.

As she took her final breaths, her thoughts strayed to their normal destination…her daughter. The queen wouldn't be there to see the princess grow into the dynamic woman that she was ordained to be, but Queen Serenity believed that their connection could allow her guidance to traverse the years. A small tear came to her eye as her mind raced. There were so many specific memories that she wanted to wrap herself in at this moment, but they all seemingly ran together in her head. The queen could only get the broad strokes: the carefree smile, the inability to be on time for anything, the trusting nature, the clumsiness, the kindness to strangers and friends alike, the voracious appetite, the loving hugs, the ability to cry about anything, the curiosity, the daydreams, the pure and caring heart unwilling to let anyone suffer on her watch.

Queen Serenity closed her eyes forever. But one last blessing passed her lips:

"I love you, my Princess Serenity."

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 **Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:**

 _Hey there! I'm Usagi Tsukino! I'm your everyday, regular girl, but today was just crazy! A talking cat, new clothes, evil jewelry, and a mystery man! Oh, wow! Can someone tell me what's going on? Let's find out together next time with " **Child of the Moon**!" See you then!_


	2. Act I: Child of the Moon - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

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 **Act I: Child of the Moon**

 _Hajimemashite! I'm Usagi Tsukino! I'm a regular girl living her life in Tokyo! But what is this black cat with a bald spot talking about? Warrior? Me? And what's going on with Naru's mom? And this guy in a tuxedo? And…wait…why is the cat talking anyway?! Oh, wow! What a day!_

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 **Part 1: Usagi Tsukino** **(月野 うさぎ)**

Slowly, strenuously, she opened her eyes. Her weary vision was blurry and double. As she struggled to lift her heavy head up, things came slowly back into focus. Her heart raced as she once again took in the horrifying spectacle…

…it was already 8:15 a.m.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late again!" the young woman screamed as she kicked off her moon and rabbit decorated sheets. "Mom! Why didn't you wake me up?" she howled as she jumped out of her bed. But before she could make a step towards the bathroom, the truth hit her. She exhaled sharply. "Eight years later and I'm STILL having late-for-middle-school flashbacks!" she grumbled to herself.

Calming herself, she glanced out of her side window. The Tokyo Tower dominated the landscape over the Juban District. The streets were alive with people going to work and kids on their way to school. Many of them were heading to Juban Middle and High Schools, her alma maters. Even though she was not home anymore, her parents were still only a 15-minute walk away.

She opened the door to her room and walked out into the cramped hallway that connected her room to the rest of the apartment. On the dining area table was a note from her best friend and roommate.

"Ms. Tsukino, since you ate all of the yakisoba yesterday…and two days ago, feel free to buy some more and SHARE it this time! Love, Naru."

The young woman hopped into the shower, musing about how her long-time friend liked to admonish her in the same way that Ms. Sakurada did once upon a time. While washing her face and fixing her hair in the mirror, she wondered how many times she would get mistaken for Caucasian today. It wasn't common for Japanese people to have naturally blonde hair or blue eyes. The fact that she was unusually gifted with picking up spoken languages didn't help either, but it certainly aided her at work. While she had a regular day job at a small café near Kamiyacho Station, it was her part-time evening job at a foreigner-friendly bar/restaurant in Roppongi that really made her smile. She won lots of fans with her relentlessly positive attitude, ability to lift people's spirits, and her legendary eating contest victories. Of course, she lost some due to her klutziness and occasional butchering of an order. Still, it made her heart happy when she stepped in and her favorite customers all yelled, "Usagi!"

Showered, dressed, and with her odangos pinned tightly, Usagi headed out of her building and on her way to the café. She was feeling great, as she would be able to catch the metro and walk into work right on time. As she was closing in on the station, a flurry of activity caught her peripheral vision. She turned her head to see some young boys tormenting a small animal at the end of the alley. Her compassion kicked in. She ran at the boys.

"You little meanies! Leave that poor thing alone!" As she shooed the elementary schoolers away, she noticed that their victim was a small, black cat.

The boys ran away, taunting her. "We were just playing 'Veterinarian!'"

Irritated, Usagi turned her attention to the cat. It was clearly flustered as well. "Aww," she started, turning on her signature warmth, "what's the matter kitty? Those mean little boys were picking on you?" She picked up the feline and nuzzled her. "Well, you're okay now!"

The cat hissed and took a swipe at her.

"Hey! I'm trying to help you! Don't get an attitude with…"

Usagi trailed off as she noticed something. The kids, during their "game", had apparently placed bandages on the cat's forehead. It seemed to be pawing and scratching, trying to remove them. "Oh, you want this taken off? Will you behave if I do?" The cat became very calm, looking directly into Usagi's eyes. Usagi froze. The stare was deep and penetrating, as if the cat was searching for a way to communicate more than discomfort. The sensation creeped the young lady out. "O…kay." She gently removed the bandages, only to be presented with another strange sight. Curious, she reached for it.

"What's this mark on your fore-"

Before she could finish her question, the cat jumped out of her grasp and onto her head, ultimately finding the top of the wall at the end of the alley. The cat then resumed its stare. Usagi stared back, baffled not only by the feelings that this animal gave her, but with this strange, vaguely hypnotic, golden, crescent moon-shaped (bald?) spot on its forehead.

A familiar rumble shook Usagi's concentration. "Oh no! My train! I'm gonna be late!" She turned and ran towards the station, her two long, golden ponytails flowing behind her.

The cat's eyes widened.

* * *

"What a day!" Usagi sighed as she melted into the park bench. "How did we get three busloads of tourists AFTER the lunch rush?"

Naru smirked as she looked over the pond. "Terrible when someone eats you out of house and home, isn't it?"

Usagi rolled her eyes towards her friend. "Not gonna let this one go, are you?"

Naru brushed her auburn hair over her shoulder and smiled. Usagi couldn't help but return it. They had been attached to each other since they could walk. They had lived, fought, loved, and teased each other like sisters. Now, they were stepping out into the adult world together. Despite her family's wealth, Naru sought to make her own way in life. Her skill with numbers and knowledge of business made her a valuable, young asset to her accounting firm in Shibuya. Usagi was proud to have Naru as a friend.

"Usagi," Naru said, "you know what would make your day?"

Usagi brightened. "What?"

"Hey, you guys!"

The ladies gave each other matching, slightly dejected looks. This was obviously not what would have made their day. They turned to the bespectacled interloper approaching them and dryly greeted him in chorus, "Hi Umino."

The short young man grinned widely. Gurio Umino had been an acquaintance since middle school, but the girls mostly just tolerated him. He was awkward, an otaku, and had an unrequited crush on Naru. Still, he was a nice guy, immensely smart and currently acing his college curriculum.

"So, what are you lovely ladies up to this evening?"

"Well," Naru started, "I was just about to tell Usagi that my mom's jewelry store is having a special event. A brand-new collection just came in. Since she's got the new pieces, there should be some things on sale!"

"Ooh!" Usagi melted into the bench again. "Some new jewelry would be lovely! I can't remember the last time that I got a new necklace…or earrings…" She popped up and squealed, "or a cool new choker!"

Naru sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure Mom's got something nice." She suddenly sat straight up. "But there's been a recent rash of robberies across the city lately! They've been targeting jewelers!" She frowned. "Oh, I hope mom will be okay tonight."

"Never fear!" Umino boomed. "I've been tracking the crimes online and they're starting to slow down. I'm sure that the drop can be attributed to Tokyo's new crimefighter: Sailor V!"

The girls stared at him. "Sailor V?" Usagi asked. "The manga character with the video games?"

Naru chuckled. "You mean, your hero, Usagi?"

Usagi blushed. Though she wasn't into manga and video games as much as she was as a kid, she was a bit of an otaku herself when it came to the barely two-years-old instant hit. Still, she had no idea that it was all based on a real life costumed crimefighter! "So, Sailor V is a real person?" she asked.

"Mm-hmm" Umino answered, nodding. "She's been fighting crime all over Europe for the past couple of years, and now she's come to Tokyo! Her Reddit fan club says that she's secretly working with the national police to catch the thieves! They're trying to keep her involvement quiet, but the last two arrests had her fingerprints all over them…figuratively, of course."

Usagi jumped up. "That's good enough for me! The manga superhero has your mom covered, shiny new jewels await us, and we have to go!" She took Naru by the hand, heading for nearby Hiro-o Station. "See you later, Umino!" The girls ran off, leaving Umino in the park, looking a bit crestfallen. He sighed.

Unbeknown to Umino, a small, black cat joined him in watching the girls depart.

* * *

The two ladies exited the Azabu-Juban Station and walked a few winding blocks to the jewelry store, Osa-P (after the family name of Osaka). Despite having her own job, Naru liked the fact that the store was only a 10-minute walk from their apartment. As they entered through the sliding glass doors, a scene of bedlam greeted them. People were practically running around the store, picking up every ring, necklace, brooch, and earring that they could find. The workers were frantically trying to keep up with customer requests. Naru, who was used to the sound of price haggling, actually heard what sounded like bidding. "I knew that this was a special event, but this is out of control! Where's my-"

"Naru!" A lovely woman in a classy black and yellow ensemble approached the girls and embraced Naru strong enough to lift her off of the ground.

Naru seemed a bit perturbed. "Mom, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm doing wonderfully, dear!" she said while beaming. Her attention turned to Usagi. "And how is my favorite little blonde bombshell?"

Usagi arched an eyebrow. Mrs. Osaka was always a very sweet woman, but she was never the cutesy, ultra-excitable type. Usagi could sense Naru's growing concern. She tried to answer the proprietor, "Uhh…"

Before she could get a word out, Naru's mother put her arms around them and led them through the pandemonium to the store's center display case. "Girls, this is the most incredible day in the history of Osa-P!" She held her hand out, leading the girls' vision to a large, dark red jewel, mounted on a silver pedestal. "Behold! The Yamana Ruby!" Both Usagi and Naru felt their jaws drop. The jewel was immense and beautifully structured. Its body was both reflective and translucent. It was truly transfixing. "Can you believe that this stone is uncut?"

Naru snapped out of her funk. "Uncut?! This thing was taken out of the ground just like that? That's impossible! It looks like a crystal!"

Mrs. Osaka laughed heartily. "Amazing, isn't it? The stone was unearthed just the way that it appears now. When the explorers dug deeper into the earth, they found thousands of jewels that looked like miniature versions of the Yamana Ruby. They excavated all that they could and turned it into beautiful jewelry! And we were the first store in the world that they asked to sell the collection!"

Usagi and Naru looked around. Due to all of the commotion, they had failed to notice that virtually every piece of jewelry that was being tried on, fought over, or purchased, featured a dazzling stone, identical in color and composition to the large ruby. Banners read: "From parts unknown…the Yamana Collection!" Usagi squinted at the banner. Partly because reading kanji wasn't her strong suit, partly because she wanted an explanation. "'Parts Unknown?'" she inquired.

"The provider was very big on maintaining the mystery of the Yamana Ruby's story." Mrs. Osaka smiled. "I guess they want this jewel to be legendary one day." She looked at Naru who was beginning to sweat ever so slightly. "Don't worry. Everything is legal!"

Usagi took a good look at Naru's mother. She was fully decked out in the collection: silver ruby tennis bracelet, gold ruby choker, platinum ruby tiara pinkie ring, ruby teardrop earrings…

Usagi froze. A scene flashed in her mind: _those earrings…they were being worn by another woman…an angry, powerful woman…_ was this déjà vu? Or a replay of a dream?

Neither Naru nor her mother noticed Usagi zone out. A bit of calamity rose up in the corner of the store. "Sorry girls, but I have to go! If you want anything, tell me soon! This collection won't last long!" She bounced off to do her duty, leaving Usagi and Naru in the midst of the madness.

Usagi looked at her friend. It appeared that she was becoming ill. She walked over and held her hand. "Are you ok?"

Naru didn't lift her eyes. "I'm worried about my mom. Something in here just doesn't feel right."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Usagi said. As they headed for the door, Usagi looked back at the Yamana Ruby. It made her anxious. How could she feel like a jewel couldn't be trusted? It didn't make any sense. And yet…

* * *

Usagi collapsed into her sanctuary, her oh-so-comfortable bed. She had recently left her other sanctuary: the dinner table. She was relieved that Naru seemed to be feeling better, though she did just leave to go back to Osa-P and check on her mother. Naru said something about people wearing the new jewelry walking back in the direction of the store. Usagi assumed that since so many pieces had been sold that day, what Naru saw was just coincidental. Still, she didn't want to fall asleep until Naru returned home.

Usagi closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She tried to think about all of the things that happened that day, but her thoughts came back to two things: the first was those earrings and that flash of déjà vu. It felt so familiar…but how could it be? The only angry, powerful woman she could think of was her mother when she brought home a 30% on a test. The second was that cat and that stare…it nagged at her. It just felt…strange.

She sighed and opened her eyes, tilting her head towards the open window adjacent to the outside walkway. There, she saw something quite interesting: the very same black cat from earlier in the morning. Naturally, it was still wearing that stare.

"Hmm," Usagi hummed. "I guess I have a cute, little stalker!" She sat up. "I still want to know how you got that little bald spot on your head."

The cat harrumphed. "This is not a bald spot, young lady!"

Usagi leaned in for a closer look. "Well, since there's no fur growing there, technically it is a b-b…" She stammered, before asking, "Why am I talking to a cat?"

The cat jumped down from the window ledge onto Usagi's bed. "You're talking to a cat because to ignore her would be quite rude." The cat smiled. Usagi didn't know that cats could do that either. "My name is Luna," the feline continued, "and I have been searching for you for quite a long time, Usagi Tsukino."

Usagi flopped back down onto her bed. "Oh well. I tried to stay awake and wait for Naru, but obviously that didn't work. Probably shouldn't have eaten then gone right to laying down, it's not good for the body. The brain plays funny tricks-"

A paw-slap in the middle of her forehead got Usagi's attention. "Ow!"

"You are not dreaming!" Luna yelled. She took a deep breath and composed herself. "When you saved me from those mischievous kids, I knew who you were: Your smile, your compassion, and that hair." She smiled again. "It's so good to see you."

Usagi sat and listened, still dumbfounded at the current situation.

"It was very important that those bandages were removed from my head. When the symbol is covered, I lose many of my abilities, including speech. Since you helped me, I have regained access to my power. And now there is something special that I need to show you."

Usagi's wonderment continued to grow. How could things get even more special?

* * *

Nervously, Naru peered around the corner. The block that Osa-P was on was filled with stores and shops, no places for food. After 8PM it should have been dead. Instead, as she suspected, people were walking into the front door of the jewelry store. As she entered with them, she noticed that the lights were dimmed. The people coming in, still wearing the ruby jewelry, all appeared to be in a trance. Their eyes were hazy, some seemed gaunt. The vigor that had been displayed earlier was nowhere to be found. Naru looked to the center of the store. Goosebumps specked her skin. The Yamana Ruby was…pulsing? Glowing? With every beat from the huge gem, the jewelry bearing its name sparkled very slightly. The listless masses were kneeling around the ruby, silent and mostly motionless.

Frantic, but afraid to speak herself, Naru's eyes darted around, searching for her mother. She finally saw a familiar form standing near the back of the store. She rushed over and whispered, "Mom? Mom? What's going on here?" She grabbed her mother's hand, only for her mother's clammy digits to grasp her tightly. Trembling, Naru looked up into her mom's face. She turned pale as she saw a faint red glow in her mother's eyes.

"She needs our energy."

"Wh-what?" Naru was terrified now. "Who?"

"She needs our energy," her mother droned again, this time grabbing Naru by the wrist.

Panicked, Naru looked behind her and saw two women walking towards her, carrying some ruby jewelry in a manner suggesting that she was next to wear it. "She needs our energy," the women said.

"She needs our energy. She needs our energy." The chant went up throughout the store. The women were right next to Naru. Her mother's face was cold and emotionless. She couldn't reach her phone. If she called for help, would anyone hear? There was only one way to find out…

* * *

Luna tucked herself into a little ball. The crescent moon on her head began to glow with a brilliant light. Usagi watched in amazement as the cat performed a high jump and a lightning-quick backflip, landing perfectly on the bed. A split-second later, a jeweled object fell onto the bed between the two of them. Usagi looked down.

It was a golden brooch, decorated on the perimeter with four jewels, turquoise, red, green, and orange. There was a crescent moon inscribed on the front with a pink jewel opposite.

Usagi immediately became cheery. "Hey! I didn't want any of that creepy Yamana jewelry anyway! Oh, I can match this to so many of my clothes! I can wear it at both of my jobs, going out shopping," she sighed dreamily, "on a date…this is perfect!" She hopped up and went to her closet.

"Usagi!" Luna chirped. "That is not a regular piece of jewelry!" Usagi, with three outfits in her arms, turned her head to Luna. "That brooch is a tool. Its purpose is to aid you in fulfilling your destiny…" Luna locked eyes with Usagi, "…as a warrior."

Usagi paused. "A warrior?" After a few seconds, she smiled and winked. "A warrior for fashion!" She went back to matching her outfits.

Luna, with apologies to her queen, wished that she had human hands at that moment. She sighed. "Usagi," she said in a stern, motherly tone. The young lady stopped. "Put the clothes down, hold the brooch, and repeat after me." Usagi, dropped her outfits on the bed, holding the brooch in her hand. She wasn't sure about what would happen next, but something told her that life would never be the same after that moment.

Luna locked on to Usagi again. She spoke: "Moon Prism Power, Make-Up."

Usagi stared at Luna, then looked at the brooch. With her heart beginning to flutter and her nerves starting to jangle, she decided that she would take this crazy day all the way to its natural finish: by following the orders of a talking cat.

She held the brooch aloft – if one is going to do something insane, one might as well be as dramatic as possible, right? – and shouted the words given to her:

"Moon Prism Power…Make…UP!"

* * *

 _Keep watching the moon! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be back after these messages!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	3. Act I: Child of the Moon - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

* * *

 **Act I: Child of the Moon**

 _Hey! Put that homework down! The Radiant Sailor Moon is back!_

* * *

 **Part 2: Sailor Moon**

"Whoa! What's going on?" Usagi wondered to herself. Her eyes blinked open. She saw herself surrounded by a deeply chromatic, flowing aurora. She felt like she was floating in ether, not quite in control of her body. She wanted to struggle, to regain her own locomotion, but she also felt strangely at ease. Oddly enough, she knew that she knew what was happening, even if she wasn't ready to accept it.

Her eyes closed again as she felt a surge of power envelop her chest and torso. It was warm and colorful. It seemed to materialize on her skin as…fabric. Her hands crossed in front of her face and she felt the same sensation. And now her legs…and a swirl around her waist. As she slowly spiraled through the luminous atmosphere, Usagi also noticed subtle changes in her body. She felt…stronger. She was no longer fighting sleep. There was stamina that her body hadn't ever had before. It was like she could run to Yokohama and back if she wanted. The warm energy now manifested from her forehead. She felt her head being thrown back as the power slowly crowned her. She could even feel that something changed with her odangos!

Once again, she opened her eyes. The mysterious place that she had just been in began to fade away, dissolving back into her room. Usagi now found herself staring at her reflection. Her work clothes had been replaced by a sailor fuku, very similar to the one she used to wear to school, except this one boasted a white leotard, a very short, blue miniskirt and a huge red bow in the back. The brooch was nestled in the middle of the red bow in the front. Long, white gloves and high, red boots decorated her extremities, while crescent moon earrings and a cute, crescent moon choker adorned her ears and neck. A golden tiara ornamented her head, the band displaying a red jewel that matched the orbs now perched in her odangos. Her left fist was on her hip, her right hand in a (sideways) "peace" sign on her forehead.

"What…just…happened?" Usagi marveled at the brand-new person looking back at her in the mirror.

Luna hopped to her side. "You have transformed," she said with a bit of pride.

"Transformed?" Usagi asked. She looked at Luna. "Wait. How long was I unconscious? I was in a dream world for…like…five minutes!"

"You were never unconscious," Luna replied. "And once you get used to transforming, it won't seem as long. The process is virtually instantaneous." Luna giggled. "If it took 45 seconds for you to transform, your opponents would have ample time to attack!"

"Opponents?! Attack?!" Usagi's face became indignant. "Ok, you little furball! You'd better start making some sense!"

Luna ignored the quip and sat up, straight and tall. "You are Sailor Moon! Champion of Justice, defender of love, guided by the light of the moon! You are a sacred senshi with a mission to defend this planet!"

Usagi didn't know what to say to that revelation. "Are you telling me that I'm supposed to be a…superhero?"

Luna shrugged. "Call it what you want, but that is your duty."

Usagi went back to examining herself in the mirror. She grinned. "At least I look good!"

Before Luna could roll her eyes, a sound and a flash caught her attention. In her reflection, Usagi could see her odango jewels flicker. She also noticed a dull roar beginning to rise.

"Trouble!" Luna yelped as she bounded to the window. "Sailor Moon, where is it coming from?"

The racket was growing louder and louder. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Your orbs are reacting to danger in the area!" Luna explained over the rising level. "They will guide you to the source, but you have to concentrate! Focus on the-"

By that time, the cacophony was too much for Luna's voice to rise above. All Usagi could hear was a bevy of random noise. Her head began to hurt, her eyes began to water. Why was all of this happening? She didn't understand anything that Luna was telling her, and frankly she didn't want to. That intruder had just come into her home and turned her life upside down in only a few minutes! Just this morning, it was simple: working hard and finding her way in the world. Her and Naru together, growing and learning…

…Naru!

A faint sound began to cut through the din of metro trains, crickets, crying babies, and tv stations showing the baseball game. Usagi searched for that voice, her mind fixating only on that shred of familiarity. Slowly, all extraneous noise faded away, and she could now clearly hear:

"Help! Get away from me! Mom! Mom! Please, wake up! Help!"

Usagi's eyes widened. What she was experiencing was both exhilarating and frightening. She could not only hear Naru calling for help, she could also sense a strange presence, subtle and sinister, trying to subdue her friend. Usagi snapped back to the moment. "Luna! We have to help Naru! I know where she is!" Usagi took a step, but felt a little dizzy. Her ears were still ringing from the blast of sound.

"Careful, Sailor Moon," Luna warned. "Your orbs have sonic properties. You're going to have to learn how to use your powers effectively, so pay attention to everything."

Usagi nodded. She then headed for the front door.

"Usagi!" Luna yelled.

Usagi turned back to her. "What? We have to go!"

"And you're going to go out of your front door looking like that?" Luna asked wryly. "You have a secret identity to protect now. You have to find a sneakier way out." She motioned her head towards the smaller side window.

Usagi looked nervous. "Jump out of the window?"

"Sure," Luna replied. "Rooftop travel is usually best. C'mon. It's only about a 15-meter jump from here to the roof across the street."

Usagi moved to the window and looked out. She did feel stronger now, but could she really do this? The only athletic activity that she seemed any good at was dodgeball, and a lot of that seemed to be clumsiness combined with luck. And what about after she arrived? She was to face off against some evil presence armed with a skirt and a smile? There could only be one reason that she would agree to go: to save her friend.

Gingerly, she moved out onto the ledge. Luna jumped onto her back. With a touch of dread in her voice, Usagi asked, "What am I getting into?"

* * *

Usagi landed on the sidewalk, right in front of Osa-P's open front door. Luna was tucked in her arms. Both of them were sporting fresh bruises.

Luna shook herself. "You are _really_ going to have to practice!"

"Hey! I made the 15 meters!" Usagi countered. "Don't get mad just because I didn't stick the landing!"

Usagi huffed and ignored Luna's look. She then gazed into the store. Over one hundred people were inside, kneeling in the dim light. Usagi cautiously stepped in. Luna shuddered violently and leapt out of Usagi's arms. "There is a very evil presence in here!" she said. "Try to find Naru quickly, then we must find the source of this evil!"

"Find the source?" Usagi asked, trembling as she walked deeper into the store. She was pretty sure that this was going to be a rescue mission: get Naru and get out. But, as she looked closer at the people kneeling, she could see the dire straits that they were in: dehydrated, emaciated, wheezing with each breath. It was obvious that they needed rescuing too.

Usagi continued her search until she reached the center of the store. A sinister light beckoned her eyes to a familiar glass case. Chills ran over her body as she saw the rock, the one that made her so uncomfortable that afternoon, emit a pulsing, red glow. She let her eyes trail over the bodies. She could make out the red jewelry. She could also see showers of sparks timed perfectly with the Yamana Ruby's pulse.

"Help…"

The sound was faint, but not to Usagi. Using her newfound leaping ability, she triple-jumped towards the back of the store. Upon landing, she could see Naru, propped up on the wall, a necklace and two bracelets placed on her body. Her eyes were cloudy, her pulse was low. Usagi moved towards her.

Just before she reached her friend, a figure whooshed in between them. The swiftness so startled Usagi that she tripped backwards, landing awkwardly on her bow. Usagi looked up in disbelief at Mrs. Osaka. She was wearing even more of the ruby jewelry now. Her face appeared as worn out and sickly as the rest of the crowd, but she seemed to have incredible speed and…and…red eyes?

Usagi scrambled to her feet. Naru's mom or not – she was leaning towards "not" – everyone in the store needed to be rescued. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"She needs your energy too." Mrs. Osaka grabbed both of Usagi's wrists. The young senshi couldn't believe the level of strength that Mrs. Osaka had either. Struggling against her captor, Usagi noticed three women walking towards her, holding various articles of jewelry.

"She needs our energy. She needs our energy."

Usagi was torn. She had to fight in order to save Naru and get out of here. But could she hurt innocent people in the process? Could she fight the three, zombie-like women approaching her? Could she leave the mass surrounding the Yamana Ruby, sentencing them to apparent death? As frightened as she was, she looked deep into the eyes of Mrs. Osaka. Behind the red glow, she sensed nothing. If this was truly the lovely woman that she knew, she was in need of rescue as well!

Luna popped her head around the nearest display case. "You need to fight!" she hissed.

"How?" Usagi asked. "I don't want to hurt them!" As strong as Mrs. Osaka's grip was, Usagi felt that she could break it fairly easily…but that it might break the woman's hand too.

"They are going to hurt you!" Luna exclaimed. "You must attack! Use your power!"

"But I don't have any power!" Usagi exclaimed while continuing to wiggle around. "The only powerful thing that I have is a headache from these stupid orbs!"

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Usagi's memory flashed ten minutes backwards. After the painful crescendo, after hearing Naru's cries, the sound just stopped. How? Usagi didn't recall doing anything special. She just…stopped it. Her memory continued to play: Luna said that the orbs had "sonic properties." While she wasn't great with physics, Usagi was pretty sure that "sonic" meant "sound". Could she control sound with the orbs? Just by…doing it?

"FIGHT!" Luna ordered.

Usagi looked at Naru's mom. Her expression hadn't changed. The jewelry draped over her body continued to sparkle. She looked to the other side. The three women were seconds away from placing the jewelry on her body. She didn't have time to think or doubt. She had one shot, and could only do one thing:

"AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGH!"

The reverberation from Usagi's orb-enhanced scream shook the very foundation of the building and shattered pane after pane of glass. The force threw Mrs. Osaka and the other women to the ground. The stress of the shockwave – and the sheer ear-splitting volume – was too much for the bodies of the weakened people inside Osa-P to handle. Usagi opened her eyes and looked around. Every person had fallen unconscious.

Luna was in shock for a different reason (besides almost being deafened). She shook the glass out of her fur and walked over to Usagi's side. "You did it," she whispered. She looked up at the young senshi and smiled. "You did it! I'm so proud of you!" Usagi, in shock herself, looked down and returned a shy smile. "But! You're not done yet!" Luna turned and bounded towards the center of the store. Usagi initially turned to follow her, but she hesitated. She looked over at Naru, now laying on the floor due to the blast. The effects of the jewelry still rested on her face. Now knowing what the next step was, Usagi leapt to Luna's side. They stared at the Yamana Ruby.

"You have to destroy this thing," Luna said plainly.

"Yeah, I figured," Usagi replied. "But I'm pretty sure that I would break my hand if I tried." Usagi looked thoughtful. "I guess that I could try to scream louder-"

"Please, don't!" Luna exclaimed. Usagi looked startled. Luna pointed to her ears. "Cats have more sensitive hearing than humans."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," she said with a sheepish grin. She frowned. "How are we gonna do it?"

" _We_ are not going to do anything," Luna stated. " _You_ are going to grab your tiara, say 'Moon Tiara Boomerang', and throw it at that hideous rock!"

"Huh? My tiara is a weapon too?" Usagi grabbed the tiara by the jewel and pulled it off of her head. Examining it, she asked Luna, "so…I just…throw it?"

"Yes," Luna replied. "But you might want to back up. I don't know how much damage the impact will create."

The pair carefully moved around the unconscious bodies to a spot about 10 meters from the ruby. Usagi took the tiara in her hand. As she began to concentrate on her incantation, the tiara began to glow.

"Moon Tiara Boomerang!" Usagi flung the tiara as a frisbee, and watched the spiral of light as it zeroed in on the stone. There was a huge crack as the tiara completely penetrated the Yamana Ruby, breaking it into several pieces. Usagi and Luna watched in amazement as the pieces of the jewel began to disintegrate into what looked like sand. As they surveyed the room, they noticed that the same thing was happening with all of the Yamana jewelry. Moments later, the sand began to evaporate into the air as steam. Less than thirty seconds after its destruction, all traces of the Yamana Ruby were gone.

"Unbelievable!" Usagi marveled at what she just saw, what she had just accomplished. Evil had just been vanquished at her hands. The people strewn at her feet were already beginning to look healthier. She was, truly, a hero!

Luna couldn't contain her happiness. "Congratulations, Sailor Moon! This was an excellent mission! You accomplished victory using your poise and intelligence. Awesome job!"

Usagi laughed and showed the peace sign. "I did it!" she exclaimed.

While still in awe of her stunning victory, Usagi absently wondered where her tiara had gone. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a golden gleam.

"Look out!" Luna yelled.

Usagi turned just in time to see the spiral of light closing in on her head at full speed. She screamed and shielded her face.

After a good five seconds passed, Usagi wondered why she hadn't been hit by her tiara yet. Uncovering her face, she noticed that there was now an object in her balled-up fist: a single red rose. Stunned, she stared at the beautiful flower.

"Exquisite," a rich, baritone voice called out, "but…not the treasure that I'm looking for."

Usagi wheeled around to where the voice was coming from. Luna was already staring. What they saw standing by the door dumbfounded them both.

The figure was dressed for a night on the town. Black patent leather shoes gave way to double-braid, sharply pleated dress pants. A black topcoat (with tails!) enveloped a white waistcoat and white shirt with pearl studs and cufflinks. A white bow tie complimented the white gloves, and a red rose rested upon the lapel. A black cape was fastened to the shoulders, and a black top hat completed the formal ensemble. The subject leaned on a cane while twirling Usagi's tiara on his index finger. Usagi and Luna both strained to make out a face, but were unable to do so.

"Wh-who are you?" Usagi asked, shaking just a bit. "Where did you come from? How long have you been here?"

The figure picked up his cane and stepped towards them, still playing with the tiara. Unease made Usagi want to step back, but…for some reason…she just stood there flat-footed. As he came into the dim light, Usagi and Luna could see why they couldn't make out his face: it was covered by a black and white mask. The style of mask, with some sort of tribal design and a small, red jewel under the left eyehole, was one that neither of them could identify offhand. He responded, "Where? Not important. How long? Long enough to see you in action. Quite impressive."

Usagi repeated her first question, a bit more forcefully, "Who are you?"

The subject effortlessly flipped the tiara back to Usagi, who bobbled it twice before securing it in her hand opposite of the rose. "I have no need for a name. I am simply a collector," he said. "I'm on the lookout for only the finest of jewels. And…" he paused for effect, "I'm someone who knows that a boomerang will return to its source if thrown properly." He cocked his head slightly. "I'm sure that even your talking cat knows that." Luna's fur stood on end.

Usagi, while concerned that he knew about Luna, was more worried about a "jewel collector" coming to Osa-P way past closing time. "Oh, you're looking for the finest jewels, huh? I don't know too many shoppers that go around wearing fancy clothes and a…weird mask late at night! If you want anything in this store, first you'll have to get past me!"

"And, you are?" the man inquired.

"Who am I? I'm…I'm…" Usagi stopped. She couldn't quite remember the title that Luna gave to her. She looked down. Luna was pointing to the symbol on her head.

"Umm…Crescent…Goldie…Baldie?" Usagi asked. Luna buried her face in her paw.

Usagi looked back at the mysterious character, knowing that he was probably quite amused at her expense. Over his shoulder, she caught a glimpse of a rising celestial body. Its luminosity providing a sharp contrast against the dark sky. The mere sight of it invigorated her. The light filled her eyes and stirred her soul. Usagi felt courage and creativity well up inside. Inspired, she struck a pose.

"Protected by the Moon! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and justice! I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

The man stood silent throughout the whole speech, admiring her animated motions. The little woman was now pointing directly at him. He chuckled.

"Punish me, hmm?" he asked smoothly, "Be careful! I may take you up on the offer."

Sailor Moon winced. And blushed. She didn't have a comeback for that.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'm only looking for one special treasure." He headed for the door. "I'll let you know when I find it."

"Wait!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, moving towards the door. "Come back here you…you, tuxedo…mask guy!"

The masked man walked out into the street. "I do apologize my dear, but I have more errands to run tonight." He looked back at her. "Until next time."

The man leapt away before Usagi could reach him. By the time she got outside, he had disappeared into the night. Sailor Moon stood there, rose in hand, bathed in the moonlight. She was frustrated. She wanted to talk to this guy. But, why? What was it about him that disarmed her just now? Just today, she had faced a talking cat, zombie moms, and an evil rock, yet it was this random guy who threw her off of her game? What was going on?

Luna ran outside. "Sailor Moon, the people are starting to come to. It looks like they'll all be alright, even Naru's mom. Plus, I think that the police are on their way. We'd better get going."

The distant sirens along with Luna's warning brought the senshi's attention back. "Right. Let's go." Luna jumped into Sailor Moon's arms and they bolted back the way they came.

Looking out from the back of the store, a dazed and groggy Naru wondered if what she had just seen was real.

* * *

"So, she was possessed?"

Luna stretched out beside Usagi on her bed and answered. "Yes. The jewelry made her body as weak as the others, but the amount that she was wearing must have had a purpose. I'm certain that it was to channel some evil entity. Her eyes and enhanced abilities were proof of something unnatural."

Usagi ran her fingers through her hair. She had taken her odangos down. "The Yamana Ruby worked people into a frenzy to get their heart rates and adrenaline up, then called them back to drain their energy for…whoever 'She' is." Usagi sat solemn for a moment. Then she whipped around to Luna and smiled. "But we beat the bad guys! Well…girls, I guess."

Luna returned the smile. "You beat her, Sailor Moon. That was outstanding work. Now, learn your lessons from the battle and be prepared for next time."

Usagi stared at the cat. She was disturbed by what Luna said, but also by how nonchalantly she had said it. "Uhh…next time?"

"Yes," Luna answered, "there will be a next time. Dangerous forces are gathering and you must be ready. Keep your awareness. Always be prepared to fight, and be on the lookout for enemies and allies."

Usagi lowered herself back onto her bed. Bad guys (or girls), dangerous forces, allies and enemies: a far cry from the life of an ordinary girl working her way through the world. She let the different feelings from the day flow over her: the compassion for Luna, the unease at the Yamana Ruby, the exhilaration of the transformation, the fear during the battle, the joy of triumph, the relief for Naru and the victims, the mystery of…

Usagi's face became red.

…the masked man in the tuxedo. Why did her feelings want to linger on him? Why did her heart skip a beat when she thought about him? What "treasure" was he looking for? Why was she keeping that rose on her windowsill? What does he look like under there? Was he an ally or an enemy? Why does he wear the mask? How did he get that sexy voice…?

Usagi turned over and tried to clear her mind. She looked out of the side window at the clear sky over the city. So many people under the stars…in Tokyo…in Japan…all across the world. Such a beautiful world, but so fragile. So many hearts in need of healing, so much love in need of protection. Who was looking to the sky for guidance tonight? To the stars for answers? To the moon for a wide-awake smile?

A loud snore perked Luna's ears. She giggled.

"Sleep well, little princess."

* * *

He walked into his apartment with a suit bag draped over his shoulder. It was a good thing that his block of Shibaura was always quiet at this time of night. He proceeded down the hallway of his spacious abode, passing the lineup of masks from around the globe (mostly from his native continent) that adorned both sides. Hanging the bag on the bedroom door, he made his way to the shower. As the water washed the stress of the day away, he contemplated over his situation: the opposing voices in his dreams continually implored him to search, but after a full year he was still unable to find the jewel. Plus, tomorrow, he needed to finish up the paperwork for the meeting with the Australian ambassador to Japan. The ambassador was quite proud of their "Med Students Abroad" program and wanted to share their successes.

He stepped out of the shower, wrapped himself in a towel, and wiped the excess water out of his close-cropped black hair. He opened the suit bag to reveal a crisp, freshly pressed 3-piece suit, ready to wear for the next day. As he finished his preparations for bed, he walked to the large window overlooking the Rainbow Bridge and the bay. The sky was very clear. The vivid silver disk of the full moon contrasted against his hand on the window. He looked to the corner of his room. On his desk sat his four "lucky" stones…the last gift that his parents ever gave him. Laid out on the chair was a recently worn white tie dinner suit, complete with cane and top hat. His favorite wall decoration hung right above it.

He looked back to the moon. "Sailor Moon," he said to himself.

A devilish smile parted his lips. He then spoke, in his native Yoruba: "I look forward to our next meeting."

* * *

 _Who_ is _this weird guy? Just hanging around jewelry stores after hours? No way I can trust this guy? I mean…right? I wonder what his story is? Maybe I'll find out one day! Anyway, we'll see you next time on The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	4. ABUJA, NIGERIA - One Year Ago

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

(Read the last paragraph of Act I Part 2 for this character's first introduction)

* * *

 **ABUJA, NIGERIA – One Year Ago**

He walked into the office with a suit bag draped over his shoulder. It was quiet now in the embassy, the normal buzz of activity setting with the sun. His deep brown eyes took in everything around him: the desks, the art on the wall, the great view of Nigeria's capital district. He wasn't much for nostalgia, but he knew that the mission that he was accepting was likely to keep him away from home for a long time. He knew that he would miss it.

"One last look?"

The young man wheeled around to see the most tenured employee of the embassy smiling sweetly at him. She had been there long enough to work with both him and his parents. He trusted her like a family member.

He smiled broadly and answered, "Though the eyes may never see again, the heart will forever carry the picture."

The old woman chuckled. "You sound like your mother! Too smart to ever give a simple answer!" She paused and gazed at him. "But you have your father's hunger to explore the world. I'm not surprised to see you follow in their footsteps." She nodded. "They are proud of you. Know that, Son."

He solemnly nodded back. The couple had served in many different diplomatic offices for the country during their days. They fostered immediate goodwill wherever they ended up. Those who met them raved about their personalities: his mother, the quick and clever wordsmith who never met an argument that she didn't like; his father, the man who would scale a mountain just because it was there, then pick wildflowers on his descent simply to ignite the smile of his lady love.

The cause of the plane crash was never determined, nor the wreckage found. He was only four when they were taken. They now only felt like stories and legends to him. After 20 years, the sense of loss had yet to abate.

The woman could tell where his mind had gone. She changed the subject. "How are you sleeping lately?"

"Better," he lied, "thanks for asking." While she was close to him, he still didn't trust her to understand that his year-long bout with insomnia had less to do with sleep apnea than it did with vivid dreams. They started with a sparkling castle and a mysterious figure beseeching him to search. The voice was pensive and hopeful, pleading for his success. Around six months later, the mysterious, bright atmosphere was joined by a darker, more sinister version. This commanding, demanding voice brought tinges of strife and war to its mandate. He knew immediately that the visions were related, because they both wanted him to find the same thing:

Imperium: the legendary silver crystal.

He didn't know what "Imperium" was, he didn't even know that "silver crystals" existed. However, he could scarcely get four hours of sleep without one, or both, of these visions taking over his subconscious. Sometimes he would wake up feeling warm and protected. Other times, it was a startling cold sweat. Either way, the young man was ready to solve this mystery.

A beautiful language from the other room caught his attention. He peered at the cracked door. "Is Chiba-san in there right now?"

"He is," she answered. "You should definitely speak to him before you leave. I'm sure that he'll have some valuable information for you." The young man moved towards the door but took a quick detour to give one last hug to the old woman. "Safe travels, Olugbeja", she urged.

As the young man entered the room, a middle-aged man, tall, thin, and wearing white-rimmed glasses, was speaking on the phone. While continuing his conversation, he smiled and bowed slightly to acknowledge the young man's presence. Olugbeja bowed back and waited patiently. His mind wandered back to his visions. He could see the castle, peaceful people, the figure in the white dress reaching out to him, and he could feel the warm sensation…then the crimson mist, the sword, the flash of sinister eyes, and the feeling of powerlessness.

"Konnichiwa! How are you?" Chiba-san approached the young man and shook his hand, freeing him from his trance.

"I'm ready!" he bellowed. "Can't wait to get to Tokyo!"

"I know that the ambassador will be happy to have your assistance. Your consulate gets very busy in Japan. But you are very bright! You will do a wonderful job!"

Olugbeja nodded. "Arigato. I'll be happy to help."

Chiba-san removed his glasses. "May I ask you why you chose to come to Japan? I know that Qatar, Spain, Canada, and a few others were hoping that you would come to their embassies. Argentina and the Philippines even gave you those very lovely gifts!"

The young man looked wistfully into the distance. "Chiba-san, this will sound a bit cliché, but I truly feel that my destiny will be waiting for me in your country. I can't explain it fully, but I'm searching for something…and in my deep, lonely thoughts…in my dreams…I'm being called to Japan." He looked at Chiba-san. "Every time that I think about Japan, I see my goal. I see exactly what I need. My dreams come to life. That cannot be a coincidence. I am confident that once I'm there, I'll find what I'm searching for."

Chiba-san smiled. "I'm sure that Japan will help all of your dreams come true! You will enjoy it! We have already secured a wonderful apartment for you. One of the best views in Tokyo! You should be able to call the office from the airport to get all of the details."

Olugbeja was appreciative. "Thank you, Chiba-san. I would not have this opportunity without your help. I promise you that I will be the best representative to ever come out of Èkó."

The pair bowed and shook hands before the young man turned to leave. As he opened the door, Chiba-san had one more thing to say: "Aiye-san, all of your other clothes are packed for the move, but I knew that you wouldn't let that dinner suit out of your sight!"

The young man broke out an appreciative grin. "You know your formalwear!" he stated. "Most people think that it's a tuxedo!"

* * *

 ** _Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:_**

 _Oh, Luna! Why can't you let me sleep? Now I've got to go out into the cold alley in the middle of the night to fight…brides? Will I even be able to get through this? Or will I need some help? Maybe that mystery man! Think he'll show up again? Find out next time with " **Sharp Dressed Man**!" Later!_


	5. Act II: Sharp Dressed Man - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::?; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act II: Sharp Dressed Man**

 _Hey There! Usagi Tsukino again! But I'm not just a regular girl anymore! Now I have the secret identity of Sailor Moon! Champion of Justice! Oh…but I wish that I didn't have to fight evil_ all _of the time! Ghost Brides? This isn't gonna be easy! But maybe if I had some help…mysterious, well-dressed help…I could get through it! After all, there's evil out there, and in the name of the Moon, I'll punish it!_

 **Part 1: Olugbeja Aiye**

Usagi sat on the bench, eyes closed, enjoying the warm sunshine. Rainy season would be coming soon, so she was determined to enjoy the pleasant weather while she could…especially on her day off!

After a great night at her bar job, Usagi woke up to discover that Luna had gone off to do her own thing. If the past week was any indication, she would be doing that a lot. Usagi wasn't worried. The two of them had been doing some talking since they met, teaching Usagi about the task she had been given. While Luna was pleased that Usagi seemed to believe her and understood how important a senshi was, she was still disappointed at her lack of motivation for practice. For her part, Usagi still felt as though Luna was holding back on some critical information.

"Hello, Miss Lazybones!"

Usagi opened her eyes and looked down the path at her best friend walking towards her. "Hey, Miss Works-too-hard!" she replied. Naru wasn't lucky enough to have the day off, so they were meeting for lunch. Usagi wanted to help put as much positivity as possible between Naru and the Osa-P incident.

Naru had been quite shaken by everything that happened, especially concerning her mother who, incidentally, couldn't remember anything past accepting the shipment of the Yamana Collection. All of the people involved had recovered, though many reported various degrees of hearing damage. The mass confusion, health concerns, damage to the building, and disappearance of the jewelry led to ongoing legal and investigational quagmires, especially since surveillance cameras were apparently non-operational at that time. (Fortunately, Mrs. Osaka had an excellent insurance policy.) Only two leads were available: wild internet rumors about energy-sucking demon gems, and the testimony of a weakened young lady who swore that she saw a woman in a schoolgirl outfit run away with a black cat.

Usagi hopped up, the two girls hugged and headed towards the restaurant. On the way there, Usagi loudly mused about the guys who were hitting on her the night before. She produced a napkin from her pocket.

"Look at this! This guy actually wrote me a love letter in English!" She began to read, "Usagi…" She furrowed her brow and turned the napkin this way and that. Naru sighed and took the napkin from her. She began to read.

"Usagi, I think UR so hot! I want 2 see U later. UR so sweet N beautiful. I could b a good boyfriend. I write music and U deserve a special song. Please!" Naru laughed. "Wow! He gave you his number too! How drunk do these guys get at your bar?"

Usagi laughed back. "You should see it! They have such a good time, but they are so crazy! I end up laughing all night, but I'd never date one of them!" She took the napkin back. "Fortunately for me, this guy will be singing the blues. He'll have to find another beauty to be his muse!" She balled the napkin up and threw it over her shoulder while she and Naru continued to guffaw.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm not the burnable trash bin."

The girls turned and looked backwards to see where the (slightly accented) voice came from. Sitting at a table at an outdoor café was a man wearing a pristine black suit, spectacular shoes, gorgeous cufflinks and a slick fedora. The nails at the end of his brown fingers were immaculately manicured. His face was temporarily hidden behind the recently discarded napkin that he was now reading.

"'Sweet N beautiful…a good boyfriend…a special song.' This is how you treat a man who is kind to you?" He pulled the napkin down from in front of his face, revealing deep brown eyes, a perfectly lined beard/goatee, and full lips that Usagi's eyes couldn't help but linger on. His musical, tenor voice continued: "I believe that he is the fortunate one."

Usagi overcame her gaze and became annoyed. "Hey! Who asked for your opinion anyway?"

The man smiled. "Do you want my opinion?"

Usagi glared. "I didn't ask for it!"

"I didn't ask if you asked for it. I asked if you want it."

"If I wanted it, I would have asked for it!"

"The fact that you didn't ask for my opinion bears no relevance to whether you want my opinion or not. It simply means that you did not ask." He arched an eyebrow. "Even though I already gave you my opinion."

Usagi was becoming incensed. Naru was kind of amused. The young man sensed this. He looked at Naru and tilted his head towards Usagi with a little laugh. Naru smiled. Usagi yelled, "Keep the rest of your stupid opinions to yourself!" She turned around in a huff.

The young man mumbled something under his breath.

Usagi wheeled around and confronted him. "What did you just say?"

The young man looked perplexed for a moment but quickly regained his composure. "I said, 'whatever pleases you, Puff-Puff.'"

Usagi put her hands on her hips. "And just who are you calling 'Puff-Puff?'"

Mockingly, he looked around. "Well, since there are no other 150cm women with puffs in their hair around…the answer stands before me."

She grabbed her hair. "These are not 'puffs', they're odangos! Just like the food!"

"As is 'Puff-Puff,'" he responded. "In Nigeria, Puff-Puff is a dessert dish that looks just like your hair." He smiled. "Given our current circumstance, you should know that!"

She turned red. "Who are you to tell me what I should know?"

"Olugbeja"

She paused. "What?"

"Olugbeja Aiye. That's who just told you what you should know." He winked. "Nice to meet you, Usagi."

Usagi huffed again. "The only thing I know is that you're a jerk!" She started to walk away, but not before turning back to him, snatching the napkin away, and sticking her tongue out. He chortled as he watched the two girls depart, eventually returning to reading the article on his phone: "Demon gems suck energy from innocents."

"Can you believe that guy?" Usagi steamed as they continued their walk. Naru didn't respond. Usagi looked over at her friend to discover that she was staring at her strangely.

"What?" Usagi inquired.

"I know you're a whiz with spoken languages, so what was that?"

Usagi looked confused. "What was what?"

"You were speaking a language that I've never heard before," Naru said. "What was that? Where did you learn it?"

Usagi's look didn't change. "I…was…speaking a different language just now?"

Naru nodded.

Laughing weakly, Usagi tried to look innocent. "Well, you know that I try to pick up what I can! I guess I surprise myself sometimes!"

Naru looked unconvinced. "Sure."

Usagi began to feel uneasy. What just happened? Who was that guy and why did he send her into a frenzy just now? Was she really speaking a different language? She didn't even notice that they were no longer speaking Japanese. And what about poor Naru? Was she beginning to think that Usagi was hiding something from her? Usagi certainly didn't want to do anything to add to her friend's worry…and she hadn't even thought about the whole "Sailor Moon" thing yet! (Not to mention a talking cat…)

Usagi sighed. Nothing to do now but to keep being a good friend. Her eyes met with Naru's. They shared small smiles and continued on to lunch.

* * *

Plopping down on her bed, clad in comfortable pajamas, Usagi lamented the fact that she wouldn't get two days in a row off. She laid on her back, aimlessly scrolling through her phone. Suddenly, a text message notification from her Line app came up. Her eyes rolled. Based on the greeting alone, she knew who it was:

"Hey, you guys!"

Since there was nothing else to look at before bed, Usagi opened the message. Several other people, including Naru of course, were included in the message.

"I and my fellow seekers of justice and truth have organized a new website! No evildoer in Tokyo will escape our watch! Click the link to support us and find out exactly what's going on in this city!"

Usagi yawned. Umino was an uber-nerd. It was only a matter of time before it became his full-time job. She closed her phone.

"Why don't you click that link and take a look?"

Usagi looked to the windowsill. There sat Luna, apparently reading over her shoulder.

"Why?" Usagi inquired. "It's just crazy rambling about robberies and Sailor V and-"

"And evil jewels absorbing people's energy?" Luna interrupted. A look of realization came across Usagi's face. She opened her phone back up, Luna hopped into her lap.

Usagi tapped on the link. The site appeared to be an aggregator of stories having to do with crime, the occult, and unknown phenomena reported in the Tokyo area. Usagi read through some of the headlines.

"'Alien twins grow tree in apartment,' 'Lake monster ruins family vacation.'" Usagi smiled and pointed. "Here's one for you, Luna! 'My housecat is an ancient youma!'"

Luna looked at Usagi. "Not amusing."

Usagi continued to scroll when all of a sudden, Luna placed her paw on the screen.

"There!" she said. "That's the story!"

Usagi read the headline, "'Ghost Bride' terrorizes men across Kanto Plain," and clicked the link.

The pair read through the main highlights: according to numerous victims, all men, a beautiful ghostly woman in a wedding dress approached them and put them in a trance. Subsequently, they woke up in the hospital, suffering from dehydration and exhaustion.

Usagi giggled. "Sounds like the 'Ghost Bride' gave them a good time!"

"Usagi, pay attention to the important details!" Luna commanded. "All of these events happened outside of bridal shops, the victims were all hospitalized with no external injuries, no suspects have been found. An untraceable, health-draining entity? Doesn't this sound familiar?"

"Ohh…" Usagi groaned, "Does this mean what I think it does?"

"It very well might," Luna confirmed. "Here, click that link."

Usagi clicked and a map opened up. It documented the time and location of all reported Ghost Bride attacks. While there were attacks all over Tokyo, many of them were concentrated in the Shibuya/Minato area. Her heart sank as she saw the item sure to draw Luna's attention: five attacks in the last week near the bridal shop closest to her apartment.

Usagi sighed. "We're gonna have to go and take a look, aren't we?"

"Absolutely," Luna answered. "But you could go investigate incognito. No need to transform unless it's necessary."

Usagi looked hopeful. "Can this wait until-"

"No."

Usagi scrunched up her face. "I'll change…" Before getting up, she made sure to bookmark Umino's site: TokyoNegaverse.

* * *

Usagi and Luna made the 10-minute walk to the local bridal shop. Despite the time and her desire to be snug in her bed, Usagi couldn't help but get a dreamy look on her face.

She sighed. "I can't wait to be a bride!"

"Your time is coming," Luna assured her. "Right now, look for suspicious things!"

"The only suspicious thing that I see is this lilac dress! For the bride? Ugh!" Usagi window-browsed the display. Dresses were grouped by designer. She took mental notes as she walked by. One collection really caught her eye: she hadn't heard of the designer, but the dresses combined elements of Western, Japanese, and Indian. They were absolutely amazing! She loved the sheer saree wrap of the first. The shoulderless faux-kimono style of the second was really sharp. And the third was…was…an empty stick where the mannequin should have been. That did seem suspicious.

Luna noticed it too. "A mannequin going missing overnight?"

"Maybe it's just in the back? Hopefully?" Usagi responded.

Luna snapped her head and stared at the alley down the road. "I have a bad feeling about this!"

"What is it?" Usagi asked.

"I hear something down that street!"

Usagi and Luna quickly and quietly moved to the alley. They stealthily peered around the building. Both of them stifled gasps as they saw something unreal.

At first glance, it was a beautiful woman whose hair, skin, and stiletto heels seemed to shimmer with light. As Usagi looked closer, she could barely make out the outline of a mannequin through the ghostly shell. The ruffles of the mannequin's dress billowed with an unfelt wind. The apparition's arms moved fluidly and sensually, with its hand eventually finding its place on the cheek of a trembling man that it had pinned to a wall.

"The Ghost Bride!" Usagi marveled. "Holy crap! Umino was right about something!"

"Tell me that you love me!" the Ghost Bride's silky sweet voice demanded of the man.

The man continued to tremble in fear, shocked into speechlessness.

The Ghost Bride's eyes turned a familiar shade of red, sending chills down the spines of both Luna and Usagi.

"Tell me that you love me!" she ordered again.

The man's eyes began to glow red. His tremors ceased. He began to sweat. "I love you," he mindlessly answered.

The Ghost Bride moved her face closer to his. "Tell me that we'll be together forever!"

"We'll be together forever." The man was beginning, ever so slightly, to show the wear and tear on his face that Usagi had seen at Osa-P.

Usagi and Luna ducked back around the corner. Usagi's pulse was racing. "I'm gonna have to transform, aren't I?"

Luna looked up at her. "I think that you know the answer to that already!"

Usagi swallowed hard and took the brooch out of her pocket. She felt the same fear as she had when going to help Naru. But, she also had the same desire to help this man as she did when walking into Osa-P. He was an innocent victim of this sinister force…a force using love to hurt people! Usagi felt some of that fear turn to anger. She thrust her brooch in the air, and…

"Usagi!" Luna whisper-yelled.

"What? I need to transform!"

"And you're going to yell your transformation phrase less than 20 meters from your enemy? Usagi, you have to be more strategic!"

A little embarrassed, but a little wiser, Usagi held her brooch close and (softly) uttered the magic words:

"Moon Prism Power…Make…UP!"

Usagi was once again enveloped in the warm and colorful flow. She felt her clothes change and her strength increase. Luna was right, it didn't feel like it took so long this time! In a flash, the boots, tiara, and sailor fuku were on full display.

Sailor Moon and Luna peered around the corner again. The man's condition continued to deteriorate. The apparition continued to interrogate him.

"Will you love anyone other than me?"

"Never. I will love only you."

"STOP!"

The Ghost Bride turned her head to the entrance of the alleyway. There she saw a small, red-white-and-blue-suited young woman with long ponytails. Her concentration broken, her eyes were no longer red. The man slumped down against the wall.

"How dare you use your false perversion of love to hurt people!" the young woman shouted. "Preying on a pure desire, forcing that man to say those things…that is unforgiveable!" She struck a pose.

"Protected by the Moon! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and justice! I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

"Who are you to interfere with my happiness?" the Ghost Bride seethed as she moved towards the senshi.

"Well…I…kinda just told you who I am," Sailor Moon said, thinking that that exchange sounded awfully familiar.

The Ghost Bride smiled. "If you're determined to keep me from my beloved…" Her eyes began to glow brightly with that familiar red hue. The unseen wind around her intensified, violently billowing her dress. Speaking of the dress, the clean, white fabric actually began to take on a faint shade of red itself! The entity finished its statement, "…then I will sacrifice you to our Great Ruler!" The Ghost Bride sprinted and lunged at Sailor Moon with astonishing speed. Sailor Moon ducked to the ground just in time to avoid a fist to the face.

"Luna! Find a safe spot!" she implored.

As Luna found refuge under a dumpster, where she could still see everything going on, Sailor Moon got back to her feet, just in time to see a swipe come towards her face. Instinctively, she launched into a back handspring to create some space. The tiara-slinger grabbed the weapon off of her head and loaded up.

"Moon Tiara Boomerang!"

Sailor Moon flung the attack directly at the Ghost Bride, only to see the enemy deftly dodge and then come running back at her. Sailor Moon front-flipped to hurdle the Ghost Bride. She landed, awkwardly but stable, and turned to face her combatant. Her tiara returned to her outstretched hand.

The Ghost Bride looked annoyed. Her eyes burned with a fierce light. "You will not keep me from my beloved!"

The warrior returned a look of her own. "And you won't be stealing energy from anyone else! I'm gonna-"

"Sailor Moon, LOOK OUT!" Luna screamed.

Before Sailor Moon could even turn her head, she felt a crushing blow to her right kidney area, strong enough to lift her off of the ground. While airborne, an impact to her shoulder blades sent her smashing into the ground. Dazed, she got up to her hands and knees. Her vision cleared right as a foot bearing a gorgeous white wedding sandal caught her between the eyes, sending her crashing into the same wall that the unconscious gentleman was still leaning against. Grimacing, she gingerly lifted her head to assess the new situation. The Ghost Bride stood over her with a second and a third figure flanking her. An otherworldly chill seemed to envelop the trio.

"No one will keep us from our mission," said the second figure, wearing a sheer saree wrap.

"Those who defy the Great Ruler will be met with death," said the third, sporting a faux kimono.

Sailor Moon knew that she was in dire straits. This was a far cry from the Osa-P encounter where she just had to destroy an inanimate object and dodge some hypnotized ladies. A thought flashed with the Osa-P memory: the sonic attack! Could that work? She struggled to her feet and took a deep breath. At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the slumped-over gentleman fall over onto his side. It was instantly apparent that the sonic attack could hurt him further. She'd have to find another way.

The first bride used this hesitation to launch a quick strike. A punch to the midsection took the air out of the senshi's lungs. She took the doubled-over Sailor Moon by the back of neck and tossed her towards the second, who gave their victim's face a mean backhand, directing the young warrior's body toward the third. A sharp kick to the chest, followed by a spinning kick to the midsection sent Sailor Moon flying backwards into the dumpster that Luna was hiding under. Blood was splattered onto the dresses of the assailants. Within seconds, the blood evaporated into red mist, leaving the fabric clean again. The trio moved ominously towards the downed young woman.

"Usagi!" Luna sobbed, "you have to retreat! We can fight again another day!"

Despite her raging fear, her anger at being forced into this situation, and her body hurting with every breath she drew, Sailor Moon shook her head. The unconscious man was still in her line of sight. "If I leave, they'll continue to hurt people. That evil that tried to take Naru and her mom won't stop. I can't give up." She looked up to see the last quarter moon hanging just over the low-lying buildings. "I can't give up."

Sailor Moon dropped her eyes as the first Ghost Bride lunged with a punch. Swiftly, she rolled away. Looking back, she saw that the punch left a dent 8cm deep in the side of the dumpster. Enhanced strength or not, that punch would have caved her face in. Sailor Moon hopped back on her feet and grabbed her tiara again.

"Moon Tiara Boomerang!"

The projectile flew in an arc, causing all three Brides to scatter before returning to its origin. As she was winding up for another throw, Sailor Moon felt something grab her arm.

"No man will ever want you with _that_ attitude!"

The third Bride used the senshi's arm as a lever, catapulting her, and sending her spiraling face-first into the wall. Sailor Moon tried to regain her bearings, but at the time, all she was aware of was the blood and sweat pouring off of her face and the intense pain in her shoulder. She mustered enough strength to stand up against the wall and turn around to face her challengers. She saw a familiar sight: the first Bride, rushing at her with a cocked fist. Although she saw it coming, her body just couldn't react in time. While Luna screeched, the young woman could only whisper, "I'm sorry."

Sailor Moon closed her eyes.

* * *

 _Don't go away! The Radiant Sailor Moon will return after these messages!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	6. Act II: Sharp Dressed Man - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamoru; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act II: Sharp Dressed Man**

 _Prepare for punishment! (Wait…that came out wrong…) We now return you to The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2: Tuxedo Mask**

Usagi felt weightless, as if she was floating on the breeze. She never felt the blow, but given how the battle was going, she was pretty sure that she had now transitioned into the next life. The faint sounds were fading away. She felt warm, like being in an embrace.

Suddenly, she felt her momentum stop.

"Huh?" Sailor Moon opened her eyes. The first thing that they fell on was a familiar mask…and a top hat. She looked around and noticed that she was now on top of the building overlooking the alley. As she looked down, she could see the dumpster, the victim, and the trio of Ghost Brides. The first one seemed to have a rose jammed into her forehead.

"Having a little trouble this evening?" his baritone asked from behind the decorated tribal mask. Nestled safely in her hero's arms, the young senshi could only offer a weak smile. The masked figure looked down at the angry apparitions below. "Let me guess: those dresses aren't for sale, but you wouldn't take 'no' for an answer?"

"Well," Sailor Moon started, "it's a little more complicated than that." The masked man let the skirted warrior down onto her feet as the Ghost Brides began to move directly underneath them. "Those mannequins are being used by the same evil that the stone at Osa-P was, and…" Her mind flashed back to his first appearance at the jewelry store. On that day he had just appeared out of nowhere, and clearly not to help her. In fact, he was looking for a certain "treasure." She pushed him away. "Hey! Why are you here anyway?"

"To help you out of this trouble," he answered. "And just in time, I believe. You look like you were losing. Badly."

Sailor Moon harrumphed. Even making that sound hurt.

"What's your strategy?"

The senshi looked confused. "Strategy?" She hesitated. "I…don't really have one."

The man rubbed his temple. "What have you learned about your opponent that you can use to your advantage?"

"They're pretty fast, and pretty strong." Sailor Moon thought for a couple of seconds. "That's about it."

"Indeed," he answered. He looked down at the Ghost Brides again. "If they could fly, or at least leap or climb this wall, they probably would have done so already. Attacking from the air might be a good way to fight them." He looked over to Sailor Moon. "They attacked you as a team, meaning that they're a cohesive unit. They'll need to be separated." He straightened himself up and fixed his clothes. "And, if the articles are true, they're looking for a man to take advantage of, so now we have a distraction for you to use." He cocked his head to the side to beckon her. "Let's come up with a plan."

Sailor Moon stood in wonder. She had no idea why he wanted to help her, but she was completely appreciative of the fact that he did. While she had been a bit suspicious of him creeping around Osa-P, she had this lingering feeling that she could trust him. Cautiously, but excitedly, she walked to him.

Luna had been stealthily watching the entire ordeal from her hiding spot. She nervously watched the masked man and Sailor Moon move away from the ledge and out of sight. She did not know what this mysterious figure was up to and desperately wanted to move and follow them. Unfortunately, she knew that the safest play was for her to stay right where she was.

After a few agonizingly slow moments, she noticed a figure walking up from the opposite side of the alley. It looked like the same guy who was with her senshi just a moment ago. Why was he walking towards the enemies alone? Was he working with them? She saw the brides smile at each other before taking their positions: the first (after removing the rose from her forehead) went back to her original victim, the second moved towards the masked man, the third stood watch at Luna's end of the alley. Remaining still and silent, Luna anxiously observed to see what would unfold.

"My darling, where have you been?" the second bride cooed as she moved towards the figure walking to her. Her eyes began to subtly flicker with a sinister red hue.

"I've been looking for you, of course," came the confident reply. "Would you care to talk?"

The fierceness returned to the crimson stare. "Tell me that you love me!"

The masked man's form went limp. Slowly he walked towards the bride until they stood face-to-mask. She lovingly stroked his chest and arms. "Tell me that you love me!"

"I do love you," he said. The bride smiled. "But I'm afraid that I owe you an apology."

The bride's look became quizzical. "For what?" she inquired.

In a flash, the man dashed to his left. As soon as the bride turned her head to look at him, a spiral of golden light passed directly through her neck. She looked disconsolate as her head teetered on the stump and finally fell off. The ghostly form surrounding the head of the mannequin faded into nothingness. A few seconds later, Sailor Moon landed on the pavement in front of the still standing body.

She flashed a triumphant smile. "One down, two to…AAUGH!" Sailor Moon screamed as her battle buddy lunged at her with his cane. She ducked to the side and was preparing to cuss him out, when she realized…the bride's body was still fighting! The man had used his cane to push the freshly decapitated body away from the young senshi before it could inflict any more damage. The bride's body came rushing back at them.

"This is CRAZY! How do you stop these things?" Sailor Moon shouted in frustration. Unfortunately, the commotion caught the attention of the two brides who had managed to keep their heads. They were now moving purposefully towards the ruckus. The headless bride tried to grab Sailor Moon by the throat. The senshi caught the bride's wrist and grabbed the collar of the dress. The masked man caught the bride's other arm and grabbed her by the collar as well.

"We are running out of time!" the man said. The both looked back to see the two other brides closing quickly. "We must make this a 2-on-2 battle!"

"How?" Sailor Moon whined. "We can't hold her down and get to our weapons! We don't even have anything to throw at…" They looked back at each other, looked at the bride's struggling body, looked back at each other, and exchanged nods. With a quick and forceful motion, the pair used their grip and leverage to throw the headless bride at her counterparts. The brides dodged as lifeless wooden limbs bounced off of the pavement. Both Sailor Moon and the masked man held half of the ripped dress in their hands. They stared at the remaining cloth that they held.

"Was there anything special about these dresses?" he asked.

Sailor Moon blushed. "Well, they did have a little bit of a red glow. And my blood immediately evaporated when it came into contact." She looked embarrassed. "That might have been important to mention?"

The man's attention turned elsewhere. "Right now, we have two more problems to deal with. We'll worry about situational awareness later." The two remaining brides had recovered and were closing in, anger written on their faces. "I'll take the one in the kimono." He brandished his cane and pressed a concealed button on the shaft. A short blade unsheathed itself. The third bride's expression changed to nervous. The masked man charged at her, forcing her into defense with blocks and parries.

Sailor Moon marveled at his bravery and preparation for a few seconds before a familiar sensation caught her attention. She dodged to the side just in time to avoid another devastating blow. This time, the young lady didn't hesitate. Taking a page from her partner's book, she immediately went on the offensive, punching and kicking while her opponent tried to repel the attack. Her fighting wasn't very coordinated as it mostly consisted of a flailing of arms and legs hoping to reach a target. However, it was serving to keep the bride at bay for the time being.

The masked man was using a masterful mixture of movement, blows, and feints in order to create openings for him to slash at the dress of his opponent. His skill had forced the bride back towards the head of the alley. With the garment barely dangling off of her body, the bride, with weakly glowing eyes, feebly requested, "Tell me that you love me!"

"Sorry. I'm looking for something else." He slashed the last of the threads holding the dress on. The cloth fell to the ground as the apparition screamed and faded from view. The mannequin fell to the ground.

The bloodcurdling scream distracted Sailor Moon as she wheeled around to look. The Ghost Bride used the hesitation to deliver a powerful straight punch to the midsection, sending Sailor Moon bouncing off of the wall and down face first on the pavement. As the senshi gathered herself on her hands and knees, she lifted her head, just in time to see the victim, sapped of his energy, looking directly into her face. She froze.

"Wh…who are you?" he faintly asked.

"Uh…uh…" the eloquent warrior stammered. "I…I'm Sailor Moon. The Ch-Champion of Justice!"

The man was still weakened. He collapsed to the ground. "That…woman. She was…hurting me. Why?"

"I don't know," came the whispered reply. Her fists clenched tightly. Her eyes narrowed. "But I _will_ punish her!"

After temporarily disposing of Sailor Moon, the Ghost Bride sprinted full speed at the masked man, pinning him to the wall by his throat and wrist. His cane fell to the ground.

"I'm crazy about you!" she whispered, eyes returning to a strong red.

Struggling to breathe, the man replied, "I believe half of that statement."

The Ghost Bride tightened her grip. "Tell me that you love me!" The glow now flew from her eyes as flames.

"Is there…something…that you want…to do?" the masked man choked out between gasps.

"Oh yes!" she sexily answered. "But first, you WILL-"

"SAILOR V KICK!"

With a vivid streak of light, Sailor Moon executed a perfect, diving, spiraling kick to the head of the Ghost Bride, knocking it clean off, and forcing the entity to relinquish its grip.

With unobstructed breathing, the man fixed his tie, looked to the Bride's head, and replied: "I wasn't speaking to you."

After a perfect landing behind her target, Sailor Moon bounced up with her tiara in hand. Setting it spinning rapidly around her finger, she swung the attack in a sweeping motion from the ground up. The tiara buzzsawed straight through the mannequin and the dress, bisecting the figure from the bottom to the top. The two halves fell to their respective sides as all traces of the ethereal image disappeared. Sailor Moon stood there, breathing heavily. Battered and bruised, but victorious.

Luna finally came out of hiding and quickly made her way to the victor's side. "Sailor Moon, are you alright?"

The young senshi looked down at her mentor. "Yeah," Sailor Moon answered unenthusiastically, "I'll be fine." Now that she was resting, she could feel her enhanced physiology healing at an accelerated pace. She lifted her gaze again to talk to the masked man, only to find that he wasn't there.

"What?" she gasped. "Where did-"

"Once again, you've impressed me, Sailor Moon," came a voice from high above. Luna and Sailor Moon craned their necks to see the mysterious stranger now standing on the roof. "I think that I could get used to these meetings." He turned to leave.

"WAIT!" Usagi screamed. The man turned his face back towards her. "I need to know something about you! Anything! Where are you from? What's this thing that you're looking for? Why did you save me today?" She took a step forward. "What's your name?"

"I told you before, I have no need for a name," the man replied. "But, if you must, let's go with something inspired by you."

With a flick of his cape, an object came flying towards the young lady.

"Sailor Moon! Watch out!" Luna cautioned. But Sailor Moon didn't move. Instead, she cupped her hands, allowing the object to gently settle: a beautiful red rose. She looked back to the figure on top of the building.

"You may call me…Tuxedo Mask."

With that word, and a final flick of the cape, he disappeared out of sight. Sailor Moon stood there, staring longingly at the rooftop. "Tuxedo Mask," she softly said to herself.

Luna was indignant. "I don't trust him! You need to be very careful!"

Sailor Moon was still in awe. He couldn't be bad. Could he? He had come to her rescue _and_ made her blush twice. Even still, he refused to give answers about what he was searching for. And he did seem to have a knack for just showing up whenever she transformed. It had only been two times! And he somehow came for both? Maybe Luna had a point.

"Sailor Moon! Look here!" The young senshi crouched down to where Luna was. The cat had pulled the two nearest dresses together and was looking at the tags. "These dresses were both made by the same designer."

"Yeah," Sailor Moon said, "all three of them were in the display together. Well, one was missing…"

"I think, perhaps, that this may be a clue as to who may be behind this," Luna stated.

The warrior looked contemplative for a moment, then she gasped. "You mean-"

The sound of sirens interrupted her train of thought. "Time to go!" Luna ordered. Nodding in agreement, Sailor Moon gathered Luna in her arms and made it to the top of the building. Halfway across, the Champion of Justice stopped running. "Usagi! What are you doing?" Luna hissed.

Sailor Moon, in harried thought, looked back to the edge of the building. Suddenly, she put Luna down and ran back to where she was. Luna was hot on her heels. Glancing over, Sailor Moon could see that the police were on the scene. They had found the man, the mannequin parts, and the dresses. But, would they be able to put it all together? Plenty of men had been attacked before, but now there was a detail that might link them. Capable police they may be, but why chance that they might miss something?

"Officers!" Sailor Moon shouted. The police officers looked up. Before they could say anything, she continued: "That man was attacked by the Ghost Bride! Those dresses are the key! Look at the designer. Check the other attacks around the city, and I bet that you'll find out that the stores near the attacks all carry this line." She bowed. "Have a good night!"

With that, Sailor Moon backed away from the ledge, picked Luna back up and headed home.

* * *

Gingerly, Usagi let herself down onto her bed. Even though she was mostly healed up, she still had some leftover sore spots.

"Luna, seriously, what have I gotten into?" she asked.

Luna looked sad. "I'm very sorry, Usagi. I had no idea that things would be so difficult today. I had a hunch and I thought it best to follow through." She sighed. "I didn't know that this magic was so powerful."

Usagi looked perplexed. "This is magic? Not just…some sort of…weird evil?"

"It's both," Luna replied. "Some magical source that feeds on people's energy. But after the Yamana Ruby, I could never have known that the magic was strong enough to animate objects and project apparitions!" Luna gave Usagi a small smile. "But you did win tonight, Sailor Moon! You saved that man and probably hundreds more! You should be proud!"

"Luna! Those Ghost Brides were beating me bloody! I've NEVER felt pain like that before! I could barely move, super senshi or not! And that one punch that barely missed my head…" Tears began to fall. "I could have DIED tonight!" Usagi started to sob. "I didn't sign up for this."

Slowly, Luna walked over to her. She gently rubbed herself underneath Usagi's arm before settling in her lap. "No, Usagi, you did not sign up for this," she said solemnly, "this burden was assigned to you. It's your birthright and your calling. As hard as it is, as tough as these last eight days have been, you will be called for something much greater." She placed a paw on Usagi's tear-soaked cheek. "Stay strong. I'm here. Naru is right down the hall. Your parents are close. Use the strength that surrounds you, and you won't fail." Usagi lifted her head just enough to meet Luna's gaze. "I believe in you, Usagi Tsukino!" Sniffing, Usagi rubbed Luna on the head, then fully embraced her.

Usagi turned her light off and finally laid down for bed. Luna curled up on the pillow next to her. A quick glance at the clock let Usagi know that she only had about 5 hours of sleep coming. "Terrific!" she thought to herself. "After all this, I'm gonna be tired at work!"

She closed her eyes and let her thoughts change. She was still quite apprehensive about what more could be coming her way. Today was a harrowing experience. What horrors could tomorrow bring? At the same time, her efforts did result in people being kept safe: all of the victims of the Yamana Ruby, and hopefully, all victims of these Ghost Brides. Maybe this power, this obligation, wasn't so bad. Dangerous, yes. But, perhaps with a strong purpose. After all, she believed in love and justice, and she was willing to fight for it. Why else did those words come to her mind when she was ready to battle?

Still, it would be nice to know that she had an ally. Someone other than Luna that she could trust with her secret. Someone highly intelligent and capable who would fight beside her. Someone reliable and strategic who would be there when needed. Someone that she could talk to who understood what it was like to navigate these rough waters. Someone who would rescue her in his powerful arms…

"Tuxedo Mask…" Usagi mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

Luna sighed. That Tuxedo Mask was a character alright. But Luna had seen her share of interesting characters getting close to people that she cared about only to hurt them later. This guy still had a lot to prove. Especially with what she witnessed today. How was he resistant to the mind control of the Ghost Brides? And he just happened to show up at the perfect time again? That couldn't be a coincidence! But she didn't want to trouble Usagi too much until she had more evidence. The girl had been through enough in just these first few days.

"I'm sorry, princess," she lamented, "I put so much pressure on you in such a short time. But you can't do this on your own." She looked to the sky. "You need help."

* * *

She loved quiet, contemplative walks down by the river, and this early morning was perfect for it: clear, mild, and the last quarter moon high enough over the horizon to throw its mirror-image on the water. She was enamored with her new country. On her way down to the waterside, she saw a dim light flickering from inside a nearby shrine. She smiled. Someone else also enjoyed using these quiet, alone times for reflection.

She finally found a comfortable spot on the bank. She stared at the moon against the calm water. She peered over to see if there was enough luminosity to reflect her tan face (there wasn't). Still, fluid dynamics were so interesting! That the surface could appear so calm even though the river was continually flowing into the bay. As she combed through her short, curly, black hair (with its faint highlights of blue) with her fingers, her mind went over her favorite memories of her short trip thus far: learning to read and write hiragana and katakana on the plane ride over, teaching the patients some of her favorite chess strategies, talking with the local doctors about their community health concerns, seeing Ursa Major in the sky instead of the Southern Cross, calculating the perfect train schedule to arrive at the cram school on time and tutor the young students, listening to beautiful classical music as she read up on international health policy, and, naturally, curling up at home with any of the good books that she could find.

As she relaxed, the moon slowly faded from view, replaced with a sparkling white castle. A twirl of turquoise fabric and cascading water now appeared. A white-gloved hand wiped that vision away. It began caressing a ball of water, which then burst into snow, steam, and mist. The fog quickly evaporated, giving way to a picture of a rocky surface where the sun appeared huge in the sky. The view turned to focus on the blackness of space. Two turquoise eyes opened. A mirror? Suddenly, a blue-green flash above those eyes, morphing into a golden tiara with a turquoise jewel at the center. The scene was now accompanied by the sound of rippling water.

She shook herself, certain that she had just dozed off. When she looked at the water, there was now an abundance of waves disturbing the surface. She was pretty certain that this wasn't the act of a stowaway yabby. Furthermore, they all seemed to be emanating from…exactly where she was sitting!

"Crikey!" she exclaimed. "That's weird!"

* * *

 _That was scary! I barely got through, even with Tuxedo Mask's help! Oh, I don't know if I can do this! I feel like all this evil could just pull me down under! Is there a friend out there for me? Maybe I'll find one next time on The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	7. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Nine Months Ago

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

 _(Read the last paragraph of **Act II Part 2** for this character's first introduction)_

* * *

 **SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Nine Months Ago**

She loved quiet, contemplative walks down by the river, and this early morning was perfect for it: clear, mild, and the colors from the impending sunrise were spreading just high enough over the horizon to throw their beauty on the water. In the distance, she could see the architecture of downtown. She was going to miss her home country.

"Hey, you!"

She turned around to see a young, brown-haired man running towards her. Recognizing him instantly, she gave a sweet smile and a wave. "G'Day! Why are you up so early?"

The young man reached her and stopped, slightly out of breath. "Were you really gonna leave without saying goodbye?

The young woman looked confused. "We went to dinner three days ago. I said goodbye then."

He sighed. "You've always been such a piker! Couldn't you have had a tiny little get together the night before you go O.S.?"

Shyly, she batted her exotic turquoise eyes and looked back at the water. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't want any big parties. I just wanted to have some time to myself before I left."

"It's alright," her friend answered. "I know you. That's how I knew that you'd be here." He moved beside her, looking at the same point on the water that she was. "This was our first playground, after all." He made a face. "Well, me and the others would play. You always had your nose stuck in a book or three!" The girl laughed softly. The young man standing beside her was virtually the only person from her childhood that she kept up with. He continued: "But I guess that's why no one calls you 'Wowser' anymore. It's 'Doctor' now!" He turned his gaze to her. "Dr. Galing Budhu, super nurse!"

Galing returned the gaze and smiled. "Nurse practitioner." While she knew that he was just teasing her, Galing was very familiar with having to correct people about herself. It was uncommon for people to come across anyone who boasted the title of "Doctor" at a mere 18 years old. It raised even more eyebrows to see that designation earned by a little brown girl. Now at 22, the former top-testing student in Australia was heading for a new challenge.

As they walked along the river, the young man's posture got a little tight. His voice became more cautious. "How are your parents doing with all of this?"

Galing's expression didn't change, but she didn't immediately answer. Her parents were a touchy subject. Her mother was a successful and busy doctor at a major Sydney hospital, and was the parent that Galing grew up with after the divorce. Her father was an artist and an activist, spending most of his time in the struggle for Aboriginal rights. While her father was not at all an absentee, his hectic schedule and commitment to his cause led him to lose face-to-face time with his daughter. The dichotomy between her parents was illustrated often: her father taught her chess; her mother would have preferred more figure skating lessons. Her father taught her the Wiradjuri language; her mother never saw the point. Her father wanted her to begin a life of activism; her mother nurtured her love of science. Her father demanded that her name reflect her Aboriginal heritage; her mother believed that her European heritage deserved the same honor. Galing loved both of her parents dearly, but sometimes the strain was too much. She'd be happy to get away from them for a while.

Finally, she broke the silence. "The oldies are fine. They're a little sad that I'm going so far away, but I have their support. That's the important thing."

He nodded, satisfied with the minimal explanation. He then posed a more probing question: "Why Japan?"

"What do you know about the phrase ' _Yindymarra Winhanganha_ '?" she asked.

The young man sighed and rolled his eyes. "'The wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in,'" he said in a mockingly bombastic manner. Galing turned a sad, pitying stare towards him. Coming from her, that was an angry look. He swallowed hard. "Sorry…your dad talks about that a lot."

The young woman looked into the distance and spoke. "That phrase means two things to me. One, to gain as much true wisdom that the world has to offer. To seek the greatest experiences that I can, and then turn around to share them with others. Thereby learning how to respect every culture, religion, and land that I come into contact with. Two, to do everything in my power to make the world as wonderful as possible for future generations, so that they may thrive and enjoy a planet remade as a beautiful jewel."

The young man was now extra embarrassed at his tactless response. "Wow. That's a superb vision." He stopped. "But that still doesn't answer my question."

Galing stopped walking as well. Her head turned to the sky. "When I think about what I can do to make the world a better place, to seek new experiences with wonderful people, for some reason…I keep thinking about Japan! I can't explain it in any rational terms. It's just a feeling that I have." She fell silent as she looked towards the rapidly yellowing horizon. Just above it was a bright point of light, never too far from the Sun. The view of this planet taking its 88-day orbit always seemed to encourage her in the paths that she chose to take in life…including this one. "I have to go," she concluded.

He exhaled deeply. There was clearly something more that he wanted to say to her, but this wasn't the time. His friend had a job to do and he would support her all the way. His concessional stare lingered on her curly hair. The blue hue intermixed with the black stood out more in the dawn's light. He carefully produced a small book from his pocket. "Here," he said, handing it to her. "This might be helpful on your trip."

Galing read the title: "Learn How to Write in Japanese! Hiragana and Katakana." She smiled. "Thank you. You know that I'll miss you very much." She looked at the water, then at her watch. "I've got about 15 minutes until I need to head back home and get my luggage. Why don't you help me finish my walk?"

The young man smiled. "That'd be a corker!"

The two of them continued their walk until her friend piped up. "Oh, by the way, I put something very special to you inside the front cover."

Curious, Galing opened the guide book…and let out a shocked screech. Staring back at her, pasted on the inside cover with superglue, was a glossy, 9x13cm picture of a most embarrassing moment: herself, mouth wide open, eyes looking into the camera, about to take a bite of a huge burger.

Galing slammed the paperback shut. "Greg, how did you get that picture?!"

Grinning, and getting a head start, he replied, "Oh, don't worry about that, love! Just know that I have the full-size portrait version hanging on my wall!" Greg turned and ran as Galing took off after him.

Beside the path, the calm surface of the water rippled with every step that she took.

* * *

 ** _Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:_**

 _Life as a defender of justice is hard! But sometimes you can meet some awesome new people! I ran into this super-smart girl who's so sweet and amazing. But is she in trouble? IS she the trouble…or is she something else entirely? Come see for yourself next time with " **On Mercury**!" See you later!_


	8. Act III: On Mercury - Part 1

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Thank you very much to everyone who is reading, following, reviewing, and enjoying this interpretation of one of my favorite anime of all time! I appreciate you all!

Over the next 2 months, I will be transitioning from my current location in Tokyo back to the USA in order to start a new challenge. This may result in some delays in updating the story. I promise to get back to it when I have the time. (Hopefully I can find a way to sneak some writing in around the moving!)

Thanks again!

~kVc

* * *

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::?; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act III: On Mercury**

 _What a day! I'm so tired and hungry! Of course, Luna goes and runs off…right into the arms of an interesting, sweet girl! She looks like she needs a friend! But what does she have in her pocket? What's the secret of the Crystal Seminar cram school? Is she working for the enemy? Or…is she something else? I'm not sure, but you know that wherever evil is, in the name of the Moon, I'll punish it!_

 **Part 1: Galing Budhu**

Usagi yawned as she walked down the street. Three straight days of work at the cafe plus three straight busy nights had worn her out. Fortunately, today was only a half day at the cafe, allowing her to break out to enjoy the early afternoon sunshine.

As she made a turn to go into the park, her relaxation morphed into anticipation. Her eyes were on the lookout. It was right around here that a certain black cat liked to accost her and pester her about this or that (mostly Sailor Moon related). She wondered what today's topic would be.

No sooner that the thought had crossed her mind, a familiar figure came bouncing up the sidewalk, eventually leaping up to settle on her shoulder.

"Luna, how do you go around all day without getting stepped on, ran over, or caught by some more bad kids?" Usagi dryly asked.

"I've been gallivanting around this city for longer than you know," Luna responded. "I've had a couple of hiccups here and there, but I'm pretty good at my job."

"Yeah, except you always like to talk to me in public where I have to hide the fact that I'm talking to a cat!" Usagi said through a strained voice as a few people passed them on the path.

As the way became clear again, Luna laughed. "You're pretty good at this so far, too. With some more practice, you'll be well on your way to mastering your abilities."

Usagi rolled her eyes. Practice, practice, practice. Luna was starting to sound like a basketball coach. Besides, Usagi had done some practicing in the past few days and felt like she had picked up a couple of new tricks. Still, it was never enough for her feline nanny.

Usagi settled on a bench with Luna still on her shoulder. The young woman decided to turn the tables a bit. "So, Luna," she started with a slightly mocking tone, "what do _you_ do all day?"

"I stay busy investigating," Luna answered matter-of-factly. "When I sense strange energy from individuals or certain locations, I mentally mark them for further study." She turned to Usagi with a sly smile. "Once I have confirmation of my suspicions, it's up to my favorite warrior to right the wrong and save the day!"

Usagi looked annoyed. "I should charge you by the hour!"

Suddenly, Luna's fur stood on end. She arched her back as she intensely surveyed the park.

Usagi's eyes darted around too. "What? What is it?"

"I'm sensing a very, very peculiar aura!" Luna answered.

Usagi began to tremble a bit. "More enemies?"

Luna hopped down onto the bench, poised ready to pounce. "I can't be sure. It's unlike anything that I've felt lately." She looked back at Usagi. "Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it later." Luna hopped down and scurried into the bushes as she stalked her target.

Usagi sighed as she watched Luna run off. "I wonder what I'm gonna have to deal with this time," she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and was greeted by the smell of fresh-made yakisoba. She smiled. If there was a meal between breakfast and lunch, surely there had to be one between lunch and dinner, right? Usagi got up and headed for the stand just outside of the park on the far side.

From the other direction, a shriek cut through the air. Usagi, now only 10 meters from the vendor selling those delicious, brown noodles, wheeled around towards the source of the sound. About 50 meters away was a figure, wearing what looked like a lab coat. At the end of that person's fully extended arms dangled what appeared to be a black cat. Aggravated that Luna was now cutting into her mealtimes, Usagi took off running toward them, cutting around and through the crowd that had stopped staring at the spectacle and were now going back about their business. When she reached her destination, what she saw surprised her.

The owner of the coat was a young, tan-skinned woman with curly black (and, maybe, blue-ish?) hair. She no longer held Luna at full-arm's length. Instead, she was cuddling the cat to her thin frame, stroking her and making her purr. After making the inadvertent sound, Luna looked a little embarrassed.

"You're so soft!" came a voice that was itself like cotton. Usagi instantly picked up on the English with an Australian accent. "What's your name?"

"Her name is Luna! That's my cat," Usagi jumped in.

The young woman looked surprised. "Oh, excuse me!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean any disrespect."

Usagi smiled. She was quite impressed with the lady's Japanese. "Don't worry, you're fine! I'm Usagi. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Galing. Galing Budhu," she replied softly. She looked down at Luna. "When she landed on my shoulder from the tree here, at first, I was shocked! Then, I thought that she was an angel." Luna smiled.

Usagi laughed. "Oh, no. She's just very badly behaved. She likes to jump on people like that!" Luna glared at Usagi.

"Oh, I'm sorry. H-here you are." Galing handed Luna to Usagi. As they made the transfer, their hands made contact. Galing let out a slight gasp. Just like a few nights ago by the river, the image of a sparkling white castle came to her mind. In a flash, it was gone. She stood stunned for a moment.

"So, I see that you wear a lab coat. Are you a doctor? Some kind of science teacher?" Usagi's questions snapped her out of her trance. Galing re-focused her eyes. Usagi's open and earnest face made it seem like she didn't even pick up on her distracted state a moment ago. But her cat seemed to be…staring?

"Oh, I'm actually a nurse practitioner," Galing answered. I'm here for an exchange program. I'm learning about the ways in which Japan deals with public health."

Usagi's eyes widened. "Wow! That's so cool! You must be a super genius! I bet your IQ is like 150 or something."

"Thanks. You're too kind." Galing's slightly embarrassed smile belied the fact that her IQ was actually closer to 200. "Are you from here? Where do you work?" she asked.

"Juban district, born and raised!" Usagi boomed in reply. "I work at a café during the day and at a bar at night."

"That sounds fun. You must meet a lot of interesting people." Galing's look became a little sad. "I'm not much of a party girl. I still haven't met a lot of people outside of the program."

Usagi read the look in her eyes. She could sense that this girl was very shy and probably felt a bit lonely here in Tokyo. But she also seemed amiable underneath that quiet exterior. A light went off in her head.

"Hey, are you busy right now?" she asked.

Galing thought about it for a moment. "I think that I have a couple of hours before-"

"Great!" Usagi motioned with her hand. "I know a place sure to get you to smile!" While Galing was a little taken aback by this strange girl's actions, her friendliness seemed genuine. Plus, there was the recurrence of the castle vision. Maybe it would be best to hang with her for a while and see what happened. Galing smiled and followed. The two young women walked out of the park with Luna in tow. After about ten minutes, the trio reached their destination: Game Center Crown.

"This was my favorite hangout spot when I was a kid!" Usagi said nostalgically as they walked in. Galing took a look around at all of the flashing lights, claw machines, and video game cabinets. Naturally, she had passed plenty of arcades during her time here, but she was always so focused on the next task that she had never so much as stepped inside one. "Over here!" Galing looked over as Usagi was beckoning her over to one of the game control consoles. Galing joined Usagi at the joystick panel. On a huge HD screen in front of the controls flashed game action and the title of the game: Sailor V Fighter.

"Is this one of those fighting video games?" Galing asked.

"Yep!" Usagi replied. "This is a newer one. Only about a year old. They actually have tournaments in here every few months."

"Interesting," Galing said. "So, do you participate?"

Usagi laughed nervously. "Oh, no, no, no! No way! That's for kids! I don't have time for that!" She looked sheepish. "Well, maybe once or twice."

Galing smiled and giggled softly at Usagi's over-the-top reaction. "Did you bring me here to play this game?"

Usagi took her place at the console. "Yeah. Come here, I'll show you how." Galing moved to the Player 2 controls as Usagi entered ¥100 coins into the slots. She pressed start for both players and the character select screen came up. "So, obviously Sailor V is the most popular character in the game! But there are some other good ones too: Ice Dancer, this boxing demon, oh, and this character right here actually attacks with pastries and sweets!"

Galing's eyes searched the screen. She knew nothing about this game or the characters. But…there was one that caught her attention. She moved her joystick and selected the character.

Usagi raised an eyebrow. "River Warrior? Huh. She's not that strong of a fighter." The grin returned. "Oh, well! I'll take it easy on you the first time!" Naturally, Usagi selected Sailor V. While the game was loading, she pulled out her phone and quickly navigated to a saved document. She handed the phone to Galing. "So here are her special moves. Just follow the joystick and button combos and you'll be able to pull off some of the moves with practice."

Galing took a look at the phone and placed it on the console, next to the buttons. The character's intros came up and the digitized voice commanded them to fight. Usagi gave Galing some instructions and tips while beating the daylight out of her character. Galing, however, was not frustrated by her rapidly depleting health bar. As the first round drew closer to its end, Galing managed to string together three special moves.

"Hey! You're a pretty fast learner!" Usagi said. "Ok, it's best of three, so you gotta win this one!" Galing nodded softly and returned her attention to the screen. Round 2 started. Usagi tried to immediately get into her usual attack rhythm, but, Galing was making that very difficult. By jumping, dodging, blocking, poking with a punch or a kick, and sparingly using the special moves, she was able to hold off Usagi's powerful offensive assault. As the timer ticked towards zero, an exasperated Usagi launched Sailor V's super combo. Unfortunately, Galing saw it coming and blocked it. The missed move left Usagi wide open, and a simple light punch ended the round.

Usagi blinked in disbelief. She looked over at Galing, who didn't really look down at the cheat sheet on the phone during that round. "Are you _sure_ that you've never played this game before?"

Galing shook her head. "Never before. This is my first time. I'm just trying to find a strategy that works."

The screen came up for the final round. As soon as it started, Usagi could tell that she was in trouble. She couldn't get a hit in, while Galing used River Warrior's speed and versatile special attacks to land combos. Pouring in all of her effort, Usagi tried to change up her tactics by alternating between offensive and defensive postures, hoping to surprise an attacking Galing. Taking advantage of one of Usagi's slight openings, Galing unleashed a brutal combo that left Sailor V seeing stars. Usagi's jaw dropped as Galing performed River Warrior's most powerful attack, using jets of water to literally wash Sailor V off of the screen. The game announcer declared River Warrior the winner.

Usagi's hair and clothes were a bit disheveled as she glared at her new "friend." She received that sweet smile back. "You're a good teacher," Galing said quietly.

Usagi laughed and reached into her pocket for another ¥100. "Ok, we need a rematch!"

"Sorry, but you lost. It's my turn now."

Usagi and Galing turned to look behind them. They were so into their game that they failed to see that a small audience had formed. They all seemed eager to play. The one who spoke to Usagi stepped up to the Player 1 console and took command. Usagi moved beside Galing. "Ok, you're up again! Just do to him what you did to me!" She stepped back as the new opponent selected his fighter and the match started. Two short rounds later, he was done.

"Galing, you're amazing!" Usagi yelped. Galing gave an embarrassed chuckle. The crowd continued to grow, so there were now more people in line waiting for their turn. To the delight of the crowd, and to the dismay of whatever poor sap was on the Player 1 console, Galing took no prisoners.

"Usagi!" a voice called over the commotion. Usagi looked up to see a familiar, blonde-haired man heading over.

"Oh, hey Motoki!" Usagi responded. She had known Motoki for a long time. His family owned the arcade and the small market next door.

Motoki's attention was on the Sailor V game and the masses falling at the hand of this stranger. "Who's the new girl?" he asked.

"That's Galing! She's a nurse from Australia! She's really sweet." Usagi's eyes narrowed. "She _says_ that this is her first time playing the game!"

Motoki's eyes widened. "Wow, she's a natural! Fourteen straight wins? There aren't too many River Warrior experts, even on the professional tour."

"Oh, no! I have to get going!" Usagi and Motoki looked up to see Galing hurriedly pushing her way through the disappointed crowd. She made her way over to the pair. "I'm sorry Usagi, but I have to get over to Crystal Seminar. It's my night to help tutor the kids."

Usagi smiled. "No problem! I'm glad that you had fun! Hey, let's exchange contact info before you head out."

Galing looked at Usagi and came up with her most genuine smile of the day. "I would like that!" The two young women set their handbags down and programmed each other into their phones. Galing responded afterwards, "Thank you for being so kind today."

"It's the least that I could do after Luna jumped on you! I'll text you and we can hang out sometime. I gotta go too." Usagi walked over and gave Galing a hug. An hour ago, this would have been a surprise to the Aussie. "See you later!" Usagi said cheerfully after the hug, unaware that she had stepped into the straps of both of the handbags. As she turned around (ironically, while looking for her bag), the contents of both bags spilled onto the arcade floor. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Usagi exclaimed as she hit the floor and began frantically sorting the belongings.

Galing calmly knelt down and assisted her. "It's alright," she said as she got up with her bag. "We'll talk later." The young nurse practitioner smiled and took off for her train.

As Usagi stood just outside of the arcade and waved goodbye to Motoki, Luna walked up to join her. "What do you think of her?" she asked.

Usagi gave a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"I still sense a strange energy from that girl," Luna replied. "You've got her contact info, so let's keep a close eye on her."

Usagi giggled as they walked towards home. "Oh, Luna. Everybody's suspicious!" She reached into her bag to get her metro card but felt something unfamiliar. She grasped it and pulled it out. "Oh, no!" she yelped. "This must be Galing's!" In her hand was a jewel case that read "Crystal Disk: Crystal Seminar Study Aid."

Luna gave the item an odd look, then spoke up. "Well, this gives you an excuse to see her again, doesn't it?"

Usagi shook her head. "Luna, you have such a one-track mind. Sometimes I'm scared to think of what you'll do next!"

* * *

"You did WHAT?!"

With big, innocent eyes, Luna answered. "I invited Umino over to talk."

Usagi was steaming. "Cats don't invite people to someone's house! And you used my account! What gives you the right to…Wait! How did you get into my phone anyway?"

Luna hopped off of the ledge and onto Usagi's bed. "Long story, but rest assured that I didn't use your phone."

"But, WHY did you invite him?"

"There was something that he posted on his website today. He said that he had 'unlocked' one of the mysteries and that he had physical proof. That would be a good thing to see."

Usagi calmed a little. "Ok. But you need to talk to me before doing something like that! Even if you have a good reason." She moved towards her door. "I need to let-"

Before she could get there, the door flew open to reveal an enraged Naru. She turned her dagger-like stare to Usagi.

"Why…is… _Umino_ …at…our… _door_?"

Usagi stood frozen with a nervous, stilted grin. "Uh…I was just coming to talk to you about that."

Grumbling under her breath, Naru turned to let the visitor in. After two steps, she stopped and turned back, fixing her gaze on Luna. She allowed a laugh to calm her scowl. "So, this is why you're always creeping around the building!" She looked to Usagi. "C'mon. You can bring this guest to greet your OTHER guest."

* * *

Usagi, Naru, and Luna sat as Umino frenziedly set up his computer and peripherals. Ever since coming in, he had been more animated than usual. He passionately told the duo (and Luna) about the sudden ramp-up in unexplained phenomena and how he and his comrades had gotten their hands on proof of evildoers in Tokyo. The girls' initial annoyance turned into wonder as they saw the effort and detail that went into his operation.

Finally, Umino had everything ready. From his computer bag he produced a disk. "Calm down, kitty! I haven't gotten to the scary part yet!" Usagi looked over at Luna. Her fur was again standing on end. Umino placed the disk into his computer and activated it. This time it was Usagi's turn to have her hair stand on end. The screen read: "Crystal Disk: Crystal Seminar Study Aid."

"Wh-what's wrong with the disk?" she asked warily.

"Yeah," Naru chimed in. "It looks like a school study program."

Umino firmly pushed his glasses into place on his face. "That's what it looks like on the surface. But a friend and I were able to unlock a different program running in the background." Umino produced a command window on the computer and began to type code. After 30 seconds, the schoolwork disappeared from the screen, replaced by a series of flashing lights.

Naru was instantly alarmed. "Umino! What did you do? What is that?"

Umino answered, while dimming the display. "This light pattern is specifically engineered to let the mind enter into a state of enhanced susceptibility."

Usagi cocked her head lightly. "It looks like it's meant to hypnotize someone."

"Uh, yeah," Umino said, brushing the back of his head. "This pattern plays in the background while students are staring at the screens and studying. If someone wanted to slip in subliminal messages, this would be the perfect way to do it!"

Usagi looked over at Luna again. She was shivering and in apparent discomfort. Their eyes met and Luna frantically motioned her eyes towards the screen. Usagi caught on. "Hey, Umino! This thing is creeping me out! Can you turn it off?"

"Oh, sure!" Umino released the disk from the computer. Luna let out a barely audible sigh. "I'm glad that you asked me to come by, Usagi. We're making connections with all of the strange events going on, but there's so little tangible proof of 'evil' that it makes it difficult to go to the authorities." He smiled. "It's nice to know that I still count on my friends to believe in me!" Usagi and Naru both gave weak, forced smiles.

Umino picked the disk out of the tray and began to place it back in its holder. That's when Usagi saw that the readable side of the disk was colored a translucent ruby. Her heart skipped a beat as she made her own connections: the Yamana Ruby, the Ghost Brides, Crystal Seminar…and Galing! Her new friend was in imminent danger! Quickly she sat up. "Give me a minute guys, I have to make a phone call!" She walked swiftly to her room (with Luna right behind) and closed the door. Once inside, she pulled up Galing's profile and sent the call.

"Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up!" Usagi pleaded to the other end of the call. The line clicked. "Galing! This is Usagi! Where are you? If you're at-"

"Konnichiwa! This is Dr. Budhu! I can't answer right now…"

Usagi was in a panic as she disconnected the call. "She's in so much danger! We have to go, Luna!"

Luna hesitated.

"Hello! Aren't you Miss 'you must always be ready to become Sailor Moon'? Why are you sitting there?"

Uncharacteristically, Luna looked unsure of herself. "The something that I sensed with her is definitely related to the energy coming from that disk." Luna looked at Usagi. "I'm not sure if she's IN danger, or if she IS the danger."

"What?" Usagi yelled before remembering that two people were just a bit down the hall. She responded in a hushed tone, "You're still on that? You saw her today! She's so kind and gentle! There's no way that she's evil!"

Luna sighed. "Looks can be deceiving. I'd prefer if we could monitor her for a while before charging in on a mission." She looked back to Usagi. "But I'm going to trust you this time. If that's the way you feel, then you need to go check it out." Luna smirked at Usagi. "In uniform."

Usagi felt like sighing, but instead nodded in agreement. She had a friend in need. As she headed to the door, Luna headed for the window.

"What are you doing?" Usagi queried.

Luna smiled. "You don't want to look too conspicuous, do you?" Luna bounded out of the window.

Usagi exited her room and headed for the door. It looked like Naru and Umino had reverted to their usual roles: Umino appeared lovestruck, Naru appeared irritated. Just before Usagi hit the door, Naru caught her. "We heard you yelling on the phone. Where are you off to?" she asked.

"I…uh…" As Usagi thought about how she could cover her intentions, her mind recalled some of the things that had happened recently and how she was keeping so many secrets from her best friend. Naturally, she couldn't share it all just yet. But there was definitely a level of truth that could be told.

"Guys, I actually know someone who tutors at Crystal Seminar. I'm pretty sure that she's there now, so I'm gonna go and check on her."

Naru looked surprised. Umino leapt up. "I'm coming with you!" He bellowed. He hurriedly began to pack his belongings.

"Uh, sorry Umino, no time to wait! Good work with the mysteries, keep it up! Bye, Naru!" Usagi took off past the other apartments and down the stairs.

Umino had his computer and accessories precariously placed in his baggage as he tried to run after Usagi. "Hey! Wait, Usagi! I can help!" He left the apartment with Naru closing the door behind him and breathing a sigh of relief.

On the street, Usagi met up with Luna and ducked into an alley.

"I'm ready when you are, Sailor Moon!" Luna said.

Usagi took her brooch in hand, held it up, and…froze.

"Usagi, what's wrong?"

Usagi blushed. "Um…where exactly is Crystal Seminar?"

* * *

With Luna in her arms, Sailor Moon silently landed on the backside of the building housing Crystal Seminar. Stealthily, she walked past the windows, peeking inside to see what was going on.

"Sailor Moon, how are you going to get inside?" Luna asked.

"I'm not trying to right now," Sailor Moon replied. "First, I'm trying to figure out where all of the people in the building are. I need to know that before I go in. Second, I'm using these orbs to try to pinpoint Galing's location."

Luna was impressed. "What do you have thus far?"

Sailor Moon moved to the next window. "That last window was a big computer room. I think that all of the students are in there studying with the disks." She placed her hand on the next window and closed her eyes. "And I think that Galing is behind this room."

Luna hopped up to the windowsill. The room was dark. Sailor Moon must have sensed a room on the other side of the hall. Sailor Moon let out a gasp.

"What?"

Sailor Moon's eyes were wide. "I can hear her! And I feel that same sensation that I did with Naru at Osa-P!" Sailor Moon looked up. "C'mon! There was a door on the roof!" She picked Luna up.

"Sailor Moon, there might be another way to…AAUGH!"

As Sailor Moon and Luna rocketed to the top of the building, Galing was sitting in a small computer room with the head teacher. The teacher readjusted her ruby-rimmed glasses and fixed Galing with a disapproving stare. Galing shifted her weight nervously.

"You're a brilliant woman, Dr. Budhu," the teacher started, "but this is my cram school. You need to teach the students in the manner that I approve of. If you're going to continue tutoring here, go through the disk at home, then come in here prepared for the day's lesson!"

Galing looked at the floor. "I'm sorry, Miss Garoben. I-I try to use that disk, but it just ends up giving me an awful headache." She shifted her gaze to the teacher. "Besides, some students work better without using aids like the disk. Not all of them need it. There are dozens of ways to-"

"I just can't seem to get through to you!" Miss Garoben exclaimed as she stood up and walked over to the head desk. She typed on her computer, causing the monitors surrounding Galing to turn on. "Since you refuse to use the tools that I've given you…"

With a sharp click of a key, the schoolwork on the surrounding monitors disappeared, leaving only flashing pulses of light. Galing immediately grabbed her head and closed her eyes, grimacing from the pain.

"…you will surrender your beautiful mental energy to our Great Ruler!" the instructor finished.

Head spinning, Galing tried to get up and run out of the room. Miss Garoben grabbed her, forced her into a chair, and shoved her face into the nearest monitor. Galing struggled but couldn't overcome the teacher's incredible strength.

"Don't try to resist!" the teacher commanded, "She needs your energy!"

"Let…me…GO!"

A blueish flash temporarily blinded Miss Garoben. As her sight recovered, she saw that a matching glow was coming from the young woman's forehead. She began to turn Galing's head to investigate.

"STOP!"

The order caught the teacher's attention. There in the doorway stood a little woman in a modified schoolgirl outfit, with a black cat by her ankles.

"How dare you try to hypnotize these children and this lovely girl! Using people's desire to further their education to take advantage of them? That is unforgiveable! She struck a pose.

"Protected by the Moon! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and justice! I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

Miss Garoben glared at her. "'Sailor Moon?' What are you? Some wanna-be, cosplay reject from ComiKet?"

Sailor Moon continued with her serious look. "I am the Champion of Justice! And I am here to-"

"Sailor Moon!" Luna interrupted. "Galing's forehead!"

Sailor Moon and Luna both focused on Galing's glowing forehead. So did the teacher. Miss Garoben furrowed her brow. "The symbol for the planet Mercury?"

Luna gasped, her gaping mouth morphing into a broad smile. "That's why it felt so strange! It was the energy of a senshi, but recently in contact with this evil!"

Sailor Moon stared in wonder. "She's another senshi?"

"Free her and keep that woman busy!" came the directive from Luna. "I have to help her!"

Sailor Moon watched as Luna crouched behind her, her crescent moon symbol beginning to glow. Understanding what she needed to do, she removed her tiara and loaded up. With the slightest smirk, she yelled the phrase: "Moon Tiara Boomerang!"

The Champion of Justice let the attack fly. The spiral of light bounced between the two rows of monitors, disabling one every time that it reflected. The tiara returned towards Usagi, who stuck out her index finger. The tiara whipped around her finger and, with a flick from the senshi, flew directly towards the teacher's head. Dropping Galing, the teacher ducked out of the way and scrambled behind the main desk.

Sailor Moon looked back at Luna just in time to see her backflip and catch an item in her mouth. Luna ran over to a dazed Galing and placed the item in Galing's hand.

"Galing, are you ok?" Luna asked.

Galing looked up at Luna. She stared, speechless.

"Look, there's a good explanation for this, but right now you have to trust me!"

"A talking cat," Galing said out loud. "I must be bonkers."

Unfazed, Luna continued. "Take that pin in your hand and say: 'Mercury Power, Make Up!' And hurry!"

Galing looked at the item in her hand. It was a golden pin with a turquoise face. On the pin's golden rim were four jewels: pink, red, green, and orange. In the middle, inscribed in gold, was the planetary symbol for Mercury (with a heart shape in place of the normal circle). She looked back at Luna, afraid to say anything.

"Galing!" Sailor Moon cried, "You have to trust us! Listen to Luna!"

"U-Usagi?" Galing looked at Sailor Moon, then back to Luna, then to Miss Garoben who had recovered and was now walking ominously towards her. Nothing that happened in the past few minutes made any sense whatsoever. But, logically, doing what the cat said to do seemed like the best bet to survive the current ordeal. She held her pin to the sky:

"Mercury Power…Make…Up!"

* * *

 _Don't frown! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be back after these messages!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	9. Act III: On Mercury - Part 2

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I have finally gotten (somewhat) settled back in the USA. I will definitely miss being in Japan and will visit often!

Now, I'm on to my newest challenge: earning my PhD. So, while I will have some more time to write, there will be delays while I write something more essential (i.e. my dissertation).

As always, thanks for your patience and support! Now, let's get back to poor Galing who's been held between her transformation for darn near two months!

~kVc

* * *

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act III: On Mercury**

 _Put your tiara back on! The Radiant Sailor Moon now returns!_

 **Part 2: Sailor Mercury**

"Is this…possible?"

The scientific bent of Galing's brain was having trouble registering what was going on. She was surrounded by bubbles of light. These globes seemed to be moving randomly through a viscous, marine-colored atmosphere. Galing reached out to touch, moving her arm in a clockwise direction. The passage of her hand left a wake behind it. After two rotations of her arm, her entire body felt in motion. It was similar to the sensation of…ice skating. It had been a while since she'd done that, but she still had the skills to go straight into a layback spin. As she executed the perfect spirals, sparkling, aqua-like energy poured onto her body. She returned to an upright position with her arms crossed in front of her chest. The sound of a large water-drop was heard, and the energy coalesced onto her body in the form of clothes. The viscous liquid atmosphere evaporated into steam. Power emanated from her forehead, wrapping around her cranium.

She opened her eyes. She was back in the computer room. The teacher was now frozen in place, trembling. Galing looked down at her hands, then her feet, then as much of her body as she could see. She was now wearing different clothes! Long turquoise boots, long white gloves, a sailor fuku with a turquoise skirt and scarf and aquamarine bows on the front and the back. She couldn't see the rest, but Sailor Moon and Luna could: a simple turquoise choker, a gold-and-aquamarine ear wrap on her left ear, and a turquoise jewel beset within a gold tiara. Her pin was now set on top of the brooch attaching her bow. Most striking of all, her hair no longer boasted faint blue highlights…it was just blue!

"Crikey!" This was an understatement, but it was the only thing that Galing could say at the moment.

"Ga-Galing!" Sailor Moon stammered. "You're…wow!"

Sailor Mercury looked back at Sailor Moon gave a signature shy smile. "Well, I guess it was a really good thing that I met you today!"

Miss Garoben regained her composure. "Whoever you really are, Doctor, you will not stop our plan!"

Galing suddenly snapped to attention. "Your plan…the disks…the children!" She pointed at the teacher. "Now I know what you're trying to do," she shouted, "and I won't let you!" She clasped the brooch on her front bow.

"Protected by Mercury! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and intelligence! I am Sailor Mercury! Douse yourself in water, and repent!"

"Repent this!" the teacher growled while returning to her desk and executing a few keystrokes. "I've just maximized the drain on the students! In a matter of minutes, all of their mental energy will belong to our Great Ruler!" She sat down and leaned back in her chair, turning a sinister smile towards the two senshi. "I'm not going to waste my time in a fistfight with you!" She raised an eyebrow over her glasses. If you want to save them, give me your energy instead! The longer that you take to make a decision, the closer the children come to brain death!"

Luna's fur was flared. "Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, the computer lab!" She turned and dashed down the hall. The two senshi followed behind. Before Sailor Moon even entered the room, a familiar refrain sent chills up her spine:

"She needs our energy. She needs our energy."

The trio ran into the room. The students were transfixed on their monitors, their chant droning on without end. Sailor Moon's skin crawled as she could see the familiar wear of the evil energy. Sailor Mercury was a bit confused at everything that she was seeing, but she understood the gravity. She ran to the side of the room closest to the window and reached for the power cables. A crackle of energy formed a barrier between her hand and the socket. She leapt back in pain.

"Gal-, uh, I mean, Sailor Mercury! Are you ok?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I'm fine," Mercury responded. "There's some sort of red electricity protecting the power source. But if we can't just unplug them, we've got to find another way." She remembered something. "Can't you use your tiara trick again?"

Sailor Moon looked around. There had to be at least 100 monitors in the room! "There's too many to destroy all at once." She huffed. "And I definitely can't use the sonic attack!"

Sailor Mercury looked amazed. "You can attack using sound? Wow!" She put her hands on her knees as her headache began to creep back. Sailor Moon and Luna were showing signs of fatigue as well.

"We can't stay in here much longer or we'll succumb to the hypnosis!" Luna said. "Sailor Mercury, use your power. You can take care of this!"

"Me?" Mercury asked. "How? I don't know what to do!"

"You must focus!" Luna said, trying to shake off the energy drain.

Sailor Mercury was perplexed. She had been wearing this outfit and talking to a cat for two whole minutes, and now, with her health fading, and an evil entity in the next room enjoying every moment, it was up to her to save the day? With her breathing becoming more ragged, she looked up at Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon picked up her throbbing head and smiled at Mercury.

"There's a reason why we met today!" she said. "I can't do this by myself. I don't have enough strength. You have to lend me yours!"

Sailor Mercury let that word sink in. Strength. Where was her strength? She had always excelled at academic and intellectual pursuits, but…no. Those were exercises of her great abilities, but not where she felt strong. She calmed her mind. In the calm and quiet, in the deep, blue recesses, she could hear a drop…a ripple…a cascade. Suddenly, there were memories of everything that blew through her soul, giving her strength: swimming in the Pacific, ice skating in the arena, sitting in a steamy sauna, enjoying the rare snow day in Sydney, wading in the river. It was Earth's life-giving element that roused her, gave her might…equipped her with the ability to save everyone in this building!

She opened her eyes. Her hands were surrounded in a thin mist. Despite her weakened state, she stood to her full height. She concentrated, willing water vapor to her presence. The mist around her hands grew thicker. Her strength returned; her headache faded away. With a look of determination, she moved her hands as to gather as much vapor as she could. She concentrated it into a little ball.

"Mercury…"

Upon hearing the softly spoken word, Sailor Moon and Luna looked up. They were just in time to see the newest senshi shout:

"…Aqua Mist!"

From the small ball of mist exploded a dense, thick layer of fog. Neither Sailor Moon nor Luna could see two inches in front of them. Fortunately, they couldn't see the screens either. As the chant died down, it was apparent that the same could be said for the children. Eventually, moaning and crying could be heard, along with numerous variations on "my head hurts!"

Sailor Moon tried to dissipate the fog with her hands. "Sailor Mercury! Where are you?" she called.

"Down here!" came a voice from the ground. Sailor Moon knelt down close to the floor. There the fog had lifted just enough for the trio to talk face-to-face.

"I can't believe that Miss Garoben would do this!" Sailor Mercury lamented. "Who is she working for?"

Sailor Moon came to the teacher's defense. "It's not her! Those ruby glasses are the source of the evil! Luna and I have seen it before. Once we get those off of her, she'll be fine. But first, we need to get the kids out and turn those computers off!"

Luna turned to Mercury. "How are your computer programming skills?"

Sailor Mercury thought about it for a moment. "Well, I know the basics of Java, JavaScript, SQL, C, C#, C++, Python, R, Ruby on Rails, Swift…" She paused. Luna and Sailor Moon were staring at her, awestruck. Mercury blushed. "Just the basics."

Luna smiled. "Good to hear. You have a tool that will help enhance your abilities. That jewelry over your ear is not just for show. Touch it."

Mercury put her hand to her left ear and felt around the ear wrap. Her fingers ran over what felt like a small button. She pressed it. Not a moment later, a translucent visor popped up in front of her face. "Wow!" she exclaimed.

"What is going on in here?!" Luna and the senshi fell silent as Miss Garoben barged into the classroom. "Where did this mist come from?" They could make out her feet as she wandered through the classroom.

"She's going to try to disperse the fog," Sailor Mercury deduced. "We need to act fast!" She turned to her comrade. "Sailor Moon, can you get the kids out safely while I go to the main computer?"

Sailor Moon nodded. "Get to it!" she whispered. Sailor Mercury crawled to the door and dashed down the hall. The Champion of Justice turned to Luna. "Hey, go with her! She might need your help."

Luna gave Sailor Moon a worried look. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Don't worry," Sailor Moon assured her, "I have a plan this time!"

Luna left the room as Sailor Moon analyzed her surroundings. The children were still disoriented, but there was a steady increase of chatter, indicating that they were feeling better. She heard a window open. Whether it was one of the kids or the teacher didn't matter. Once the fog cleared, the screens would be visible again. The senshi sprung to action.

"Everyone! Get outside now! Run! Don't look at the monitors! Get everyone and get out now! Go!"

"No!" the teacher shouted. "Sit back down at your desks!"

"Get out!" Sailor Moon countered. "The monitors are making you sick! You have to leave!"

It didn't take long for the students to make up their minds. A mad, confused rush of people made their way to the exit as the fog cleared up. Obedient as they were, none of them looked at the screens on their way out.

"You irksome interloper!" Sailor Moon could make out Miss Garoben as the fog cleared. She now had a red aura surrounding her. As the teacher raised her arms, sheets of paper rose off of desks and tables. When she threw both of her arms towards Sailor Moon, the papers spun like shuriken and flew towards the warrior. Yelping all the way, Sailor Moon deftly dodged the projectiles, drawing fire away from the door where the kids were escaping. Initially, she wasn't giving the teacher target practice on purpose, but once she noticed the result, she kept doing it.

Her evasion eventually led her to the far corner of the room where she waited for the next barrage. Even though she was not looking at the screens, she was again beginning to feel a drain on her energy.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one last little girl crawl from under a desk and make a beeline for the door. The teacher saw her too. This time, Miss Garoben used her power to pick up a wooden chair, break off a leg, and sharpen one end like a javelin. She zeroed in on the little girl and fired.

No sooner than Sailor Moon had seen the javelin being created, she made a mad dash for the girl. As she approached her, so did the weapon. Sailor Moon reached out, wrapped the little girl up, tucked, and rolled through the door. Laying on her back, Sailor Moon breathlessly hoisted the girl up. Once she confirmed that neither of them had been impaled, she sent the girl outside with the others. The Champion of Justice took a quick rest. She still had to help the poor teacher who was being used by the evil. But how was she going to do it? She glanced down the hall, seeing light come from the room that Luna and Sailor Mercury were in. She wondered how they were doing with their part of the mission.

"This…is…amazing! Sinister…but amazing!"

Sailor Mercury had tapped into one of the many functions of her personal supercomputer. She was able to see the processes running on the main computer, including the code running with the Crystal Disk.

"The patterns create a trance. Once the mind is prepped, the disk itself takes and transmits the stolen energy," she marveled. "I still don't see how that's possible…but that's exactly what's happening!"

"Yes, you're right," Luna confirmed, "but how are we going to stop it?"

"That's a good question," Mercury said as she continued to decipher the disk's code. Then, she snapped her fingers. "That's it!" she said excitedly.

"What? What did you find?" Luna asked.

"Wait, Luna. Let me concentrate," the Senshi of Intelligence said as she typed furiously.

While watching one senshi at work, Luna looked towards the hallway, wondering how the other was faring.

Sailor Moon was back to dodging Miss Garoben's attacks. Lucky for her, the teacher appeared to be losing stamina. Unfortunately, so was she. Compounding the matter was the fact that her orbs were picking up on approaching sirens. She had to think of a way to free the instructor from the evil.

Miss Garoben raised her arms and pens and pencils levitated, ready to attack. Sailor Moon's eyes darted around the room, looking for a suitable target. Her eyes lit up as she saw it.

"Be sacrificed to our Great Ruler!" Miss Garoben screamed as she launched the barrage of writing utensils. Sailor Moon deked and ducked the onslaught. While diving to the side, she quickly removed her tiara and desperately flung it towards the teacher. The teacher easily dodged the attack but remembered the projectile's capability for caroms. She watched as the tiara bounced around the upper corner of the room and headed back towards her.

Jarringly, the tiara made a huge clank against the edge of one of the tables, disrupting its path of flight and sending it flipping to the ground. The glow disappeared and the tiara rolled harmlessly to the teacher's feet. She gave a wicked laugh and turned back to taunt the senshi. "Your aim was a little off! Maybe geometry isn't your strong-"

"SAILOR V KICK!"

Sailor Moon's heel met the teacher's face just above the bridge of her nose, millimeters high enough to avoid breaking anything other than the ruby glasses. The force of the impact knocked Miss Garoben to the floor, stunned. Sailor Moon landed on her feet next to the downed woman, looking her over to make sure that she wasn't too badly hurt.

A series of clicks caused her to wheel around. Usagi watched as the monitors all began to change. The flashing images were being replaced by normal-looking desktops. Moments later, Sailor Mercury and Luna appeared in the doorway. Mercury looked at the prone body on the floor.

"Remind me to stay on your good side!" she said.

Sailor Moon smiled. "Don't worry! I didn't even want to hit her. I just had to or she wouldn't have stopped. But we need to get to the roof ASAP!"

Mercury nodded in agreement and turned back towards the door. She paused as something peculiar caught her eye.

"Woah! Do you have power over plants too?" she asked.

Sailor Moon walked over to see what Mercury was looking at. "No, I don't. What are you look-" She let out an audible gasp. The senshi and Luna were staring at the broken chair leg that had been thrown at the little girl. Sailor Moon thought that Miss Garoben had just missed her target. Instead, here was the projectile, run through and pinned to the wall by a single red rose.

The trio made their way to the roof and surreptitiously watched as the police took over the scene. "Hey, Galing, what did you do to shut off the monitors?" Sailor Moon whispered.

"I wrote a quick anti-virus program specifically aimed at the Crystal Disks." Mercury replied softly. "I uploaded it to every computer in this center, then I emailed it to virus protection companies in Japan and Australia, along with critical information about the Disks' functions. They should be able to mass-produce a security update and get it out soon. Once they do, no computer in the world will accept the Crystal Disk."

Sailor Moon stared in admiration at Sailor Mercury. To think that she had been trying to do this senshi thing by herself. And now? She had the smartest woman in the world right by her side!

A loud commotion refocused their attention on the authorities around the building. The police were dragging the screaming, confused teacher out of the building in handcuffs.

"Oh, no!" Sailor Moon said in a worried tone. "She doesn't even know what just happened!" Sailor Moon walked to the ledge and called out: "Officers!" All of the people surrounding the building looked up at the roof. "Miss Garoben is innocent! She is a victim of the evil forces like the Ghost Brides. In fact, if you compare her story to that of the owner of Osa-P, I guarantee there will be similarities!" She bowed. "Have a good night!" Defying orders from the police to stop, Sailor Moon picked Luna up and ran across the roof. Sailor Mercury wasn't far behind. Sailor Moon leaped the alley, landing on the next building. She looked back. Sailor Mercury was still on top of the cram school.

"Sailor Mercury, come on!" Sailor Moon implored.

Mercury looked down at the alley and over to the next building. "You expect me to cover 15 meters in a single jump?"

Sailor Moon smiled knowingly. "Give it a try! It's easier than you think!"

As the girls continued to make their escape, a masked figure in formal dress watched with approbation.

* * *

Excited, amazed, and untransformed, Usagi and Galing walked down the street together, prattling about their adventure.

"…and then I felt so calm, and then…whoosh! I can't believe that fog actually came from my hands!"

Usagi laughed at her new friends' joy. "Yeah! You were absolutely incredible today! And then jumping on the computer and ruining all of the disks? So awesome!"

Galing was just as effusive with her own praise. "How about you? You saved all of the kids without even hurting the teacher! That room was a war zone, and you came out without a scratch!"

The girls continued to laugh as Luna walked beside them. "You ladies certainly did do a great job today!" She turned her attention to the newcomer. "Galing, I am very happy to meet you! You are an answer to my prayers! Your wonderful mind will help us in this fight!"

Galing cringed. "Yeah, about that. Are you saying that this is going to be a regular thing? Because I still have a lot of work to do while I'm here."

"Don't worry about that," Luna answered, motioning towards Usagi. "If this one can balance two jobs and still find the time to defend justice, I'm sure a woman of your intellectual stature will have no problem!"

Usagi shot Luna a mean look. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that while you both are senshi with a sacred duty, you still have lives to live. I have no doubt that when duty calls, you'll both be there to answer."

"Sure, tell her that! If it's me it's all about practice!" Usagi grumbled under her breath.

Luna rolled her eyes at Usagi. "Cat ears." She continued, "You two won't be alone. More help will be coming. Unfortunately, I can't tell you when or how because I don't know. Keep your eyes open. Your next ally may be around the corner."

At that moment, the group did indeed come to a corner. They looked around. Usagi's face lit up. "You want to talk about allies? That shop makes the best tuna rolls in the district! That's definitely who I want on my side!"

The Aussie couldn't help but laugh at Usagi's infectious enthusiasm. She was sure that an unbelievable adventure was getting ready to begin. After all, not too many days included talking cats, magical mist, and mind-enhancing superpowers. Tomorrow was looking very interesting. Still, there was one thing lingering on her mind:

"Usagi, where did that rose come from?"

Usagi and Luna let out simultaneous sighs, though for different reasons.

* * *

Crouching near the curb, concealed in the darkness, Luna carefully looked both ways before dashing across the street. Silently, she slunk into the alley behind Game Center Crown. She walked along the back wall where pipes jutted out from the brick face. Eventually, she came to a part of the wall where a square section of the bricks had an almost imperceptibly different texture than the rest. She placed her paw on the surface. A tiny light on the wall flashed twice. Luna removed her paw as a hatch swung open.

Once inside, Luna turned to her left, coming face-to-face with another brick wall. She placed her paw on the surface, then turned around. A panel in the floor began to retract, revealing a dimly lit staircase. As Luna made her way down the stairs, the panel automatically slid shut.

At the bottom of the stairs was a room. Small, but not cramped. Shelves on one side of the room held strange-looking gadgets. The other side boasted a small table with lab equipment. Straight ahead was a computerized control panel with multiple monitors that took up the entire wall.

Luna hopped into the chair and reached for the panel. After pressing a combination of buttons, she spoke:

"The rabbit pounds mochi on the moon."

After a few seconds, the audio crackled. Out came a distorted voice: "Mochi goes well with croissants."

"But only if the anko is sweet enough," Luna responded.

Another few seconds went by. Then the voice returned: "Report."

"I have found the second senshi," Luna stated. "There's only been one battle, but she and Sailor Moon appear to work well together."

"Excellent to hear," the voice said.

"And what about your search?" Luna inquired.

Silence persisted for an uncomfortable amount of time. The response finally came: "A few leads. Nothing solid."

Luna didn't press any further. "I copy. I will return to my mission and keep you informed of all new progress."

"Acknowledged. Good luck." Another crackle and the audio fell silent.

Luna sat in the dreary light by herself. She wondered if luck would be enough to get her, Usagi, and now Galing through the upcoming trials. A small smile manifested on her face. Despite the challenges, Sailor Moon had shown the ability to step up and excel. And now, with Sailor Mercury on board, their chances of winning had just increased dramatically. It still wouldn't be easy, but there was still more help out there…somewhere. She just had to find it.

Luna yawned. The next senshi was not going to be found tonight. She hopped down from the controls and walked over to the corner of the room where a comfortable cat bed with blankets stood. Luna jumped in and got cozy. Before she fell asleep, Usagi crossed her mind. Luna had one more thing to say to her:

"Well, princess, things are just getting started! I hope that you're ready for a long fight!"

* * *

 ** _Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:_**

 _I am so happy to have Sailor Mercury by my side! And I think that she'll get some more experience sooner than later! Put together a plan to sneak into a building? That's not my specialty! But is there something about myself that I can change? You'll have to see next time with " **Brilliant Disguise**!" Bye-Bye!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	10. Act IV: Brilliant Disguise - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act IV: Brilliant Disguise**

 _It's just one thing after another! One sick jogger and now we have a whole new evil scheme to stop. The not-so-fun part is that we have to get into a secured building in order to stop the bad guys. I'm no good at things like this! Glad that I have a genius with me! Oh, the fun part? Well, you'll find out! Now, if you'll excuse me, there's evil around. And in the name of the Moon, I'll punish it!_

 **Part 1**

An ideal Saturday morning would have found Usagi nestled deep within her blankets until noon-ish. Unfortunately, an early-morning text from Galing threw that possibility off of the rails. Now, at 8AM, she sat at an empty outdoor patio waiting for Galing and Luna to show up. She didn't know everything that they wanted to talk about, but she was sent a link to The Negaverse's hottest story:

"Sailor V has allies! Multiple women in sailor outfits fighting crime in Tokyo!"

Usagi's empty tummy bubbled with nerves as she read eyewitness accounts from students at Crystal Seminar and the man from the Ghost Bride attack. There were also quotes from police officers: the one who interviewed Naru after the Osa-P incident, and some who saw the senshi depart after the Ghost Bride and Crystal Seminar battles. All of the statements verified that mysterious, magical women had appeared out of nowhere, defeated the evil forces, then disappeared without a trace.

In the midst of her worrying, an enervated Galing finally made her way to the patio with an equally frazzled Luna by her side. Usagi expressed her concern: "What happened to you two?"

Galing sat down heavily. "Believe me, there's a lot to talk about," she said. "First, how about the article that I sent you? Were you able to read it?"

Usagi nodded. "I'm reading it now. I'm kinda nervous! People might know who we are!"

Luna cleared her throat. "Apparently, you have not read the entire article."

Usagi cut her eyes at Luna, then returned to the article, picking up with the witnesses. Despite the senshi's exposure to all of these people, there was a strange thread that ran through all of the encounters…

"'…none of the victims or officers could offer a description of the faces of the women,'" Usagi read out loud. "'Students who saw two of these women, one in the main computer lab and one in a separate room, said that their countenances were obscured with "a beautiful enchantment…glamour"…The witnesses were even unable to recall skin color or hairstyles.'" Usagi laughed nervously. "Well, that's convenient!" Her eyes sparkled. "Hey! Does this have to do with that thing you were telling me after Crystal Seminar, Luna?"

Luna bobbed her head from side-to-side. "Kind of."

"What's this?" Galing inquired.

"I can use my transformation brooch to create disguises!" Usagi said joyfully. "Of course, Luna waited until _after_ we were done to tell me!"

Luna looked at Galing. "Actually, I was going to tell her before she went in, so that she could have snuck in as a student or teacher. But she already had her plan. It's probably a good thing since I had to explain the whole process."

"Yeah," Usagi chimed in, "I guess since transformations and de-transformations are… 'automatic,'" Usagi used the bunny-ears air quote gesture, "they don't require a lot of effort on my part. But, if I concentrate, I can hold myself between transformations and change my appearance! Pretty cool, huh?"

"But, that's a somewhat advanced technique," Luna stated. "It's like flexing a muscle, so you can only do it for a short while."

"Right," Galing said. "So, this transformation-illusion power creates the 'glamour' somehow?" She pondered for a second. "But I was able to clearly see your face as Sailor Moon! How's that?"

"There is no perfect disguise," Luna stated. "There will always be someone who can see right through it. That's why it's important to be as careful as possible when in your senshi forms." She smiled at the young women. "But the 'glamour' will take care of you most of the time." She winked at Usagi. "Just don't transform around your family or Naru, ok?"

Usagi nodded again, thinking about Naru. Though she still felt bad about hiding her secret from her friend, she had at least been able to repair some trust. While Naru was at first skeptical of her Crystal Seminar story – her specific quote being: " _You_ made a friend, who works as a _tutor_?" – once Usagi showed the disk still in her possession, Naru believed her.

Usagi's attention returned to the present. "So, what happened to you guys on the way over?"

Galing answered, "Luna and I were talking in the park when I noticed a runner looking very, very tired. Really, like her body was overheating. She collapsed just a few meters from us, so we ran over there and took care of her before the medics came. While I was working on her, Luna started acting strange with her fur flaring out. Once the runner was able to talk, she told me that she had been working out more often and that maybe she had overdone things today. As they took her away, I noticed that she had a monitor on her wrist. I've never seen that type or brand before."

"But that's definitely where that nasty energy was coming from," Luna added. "We need to get more information on that device."

Usagi thought about it for a moment, then sighed in a resigned manner. "I know someone that you can ask for help-"

"Umino?" Galing interrupted. "Already done! Luna gave me his contact info and I emailed him. I'm actually waiting for a reply now."

Usagi immediately became alarmed. "You gave Umino your contact info?! Luna, why did you let her do that? He's gonna be spamming you with-"

Galing waved her hand. "It's ok, Usagi! I have a trick to keep distance online. I just use my innocuous internet alias." Galing opened her laptop and showed Usagi the email that she sent. Usagi giggled.

"'Amy Anderson?' That's kind of cute!"

Coincidentally, as soon as Galing showed off the email, the response popped up in her inbox. Galing opened it as Luna and Usagi gathered around to read: "Hey Amy! Thanks for the tip! We'll add it to the database. To answer your question, it's tough to track faintings due to over-exertion. That's not usually a newsworthy event. However, I have found some talk in chatrooms about a new workout app. Give it a look! And don't worry! The Negaverse staff is always on watch!"

Usagi checked the time. "It's not even 8:30 on a Saturday morning! I know he's helpful, but he really needs a social life!"

"From what I've been told, you and Naru could really help with that," Galing commented as she navigated to the chatroom. Usagi turned an evil eye to a grinning Luna before returning to the screen. The link led them to a discussion about a new fitness app and wrist monitor called "Redline." At the top of the chat was a picture of the device.

"Is that it?" Usagi asked. Luna and Galing both nodded.

"Very interesting discussion going on here…" Galing said without taking her gaze from the screen. "'I'm losing weight, but this workout is really intense!' 'My phone has been doing weird things since I installed the app.' 'BEST THING EVER!' 'I got rid of all of it after my brother got sick.'"

"Sounds like it could be a regular app," Usagi said, scratching her head. "Some people love it, some hate it."

"But I know what I felt," Luna responded. "Something is going on with this Redline thing. We've got to look into it!"

As Usagi sighed, still hungry, Galing found the official website for the product. The page itself was intense with bright red streaks, fast changing photos of fierce workouts, blaring heavy metal guitars, and big, bold print, all centered around their logo.

"Wow. This is a rather busy page," Galing remarked.

"Yeah…it's kind of ugly," Usagi added. Her eyes searched the garish mess for anything useful, eventually falling onto the logo: a silhouette of a runner surrounded by flames…only the flames seemed to have a…smiling face?

A flash came to her consciousness: _a living flame…with a sinister smile…there's…there's something that I know…something that I've seen…_

Usagi stood up and moved to her original spot, directly across from Luna and Galing. She held her head as the image in her mind lingered. Luna took notice. "Usagi, are you alright?"

"Umm…yeah. I'm ok." She paused. "I just got a strange feeling from that website." She forced a small chuckle. "I guess you and I are more in tune that I thought!"

"It looks like there are only a few sellers here in Tokyo right now," Galing said. "The launch started in Russia and then moved into the States. The wider international expansion is just beginning." She pulled up a map. "There's a shop near my apartment that's selling the wristband. We can go get one and investigate." She continued to focus on her task.

Luna smiled. "Are you ready for another adventure, Usagi?"

Usagi, returning to recalcitrance, groaned, closed her eyes, turned her face to the sky and proceeded with well-worn protest. "Luna, do we have to? I mean, I haven't even had breakfast yet!"

The cat shook her head. "It's not my fault that-"

"Not your fault for what, Luna? Y'know, you have a habit of getting between me and food and sleep. Do you know how rude that is?" She opened her eyes and brought her head back down to look at her partner. Luna had a look of wide-eyed trepidation on her face. "What's that look for? I'm the one who should be upset here! Luna?" Usagi's face became curious. "Luna?"

"Does the cat talk back, Puff-Puff?"

Usagi's heart skipped a beat as her face froze in a terrified grimace. Slowly, she turned around to confirm that the voice did indeed belong to who she thought it did. Galing was now looking as well.

Smirking, the well-dressed young man offered his advice: "Be careful who sees you doing that! Someone might think that you're crazy!" His sly, rascally gaze kept Usagi rooted in place. A combination of fear, shock, and intrigue kept her from responding. She didn't even know how to retort in a manner that would defuse the situation.

"What makes you think that she was talking to the cat?"

Usagi, Olugbeja, and Luna all turned their attention to the quiet Aussie. The young man arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"It's rather presumptuous to say that she was talking to the cat. You were several meters away before she started talking. You don't know who she was talking to."

Olugbeja folded his arms. "And is your name 'Luna'?"

"Logic would tell you that either I or the cat is named Luna. But logic would further tell you that only one of us would have the ability to answer Usagi back. So, that should give you your answer"

The Nigerian gave a slight smile. "I've seen many illogical things in my day."

Galing batted her turquoise eyes innocently. "But we're talking about today, not your day. And today, there are no crazy people here talking to cats." She shrugged. "You'll have to find someone else to accuse if you want to amuse yourself."

With a victorious sneer on her face, Usagi turned back to Olugbeja to rub Galing's words in…only to have her face drop when she saw his big smile. He turned his view from Galing to Usagi.

"I like this one!" he said, wagging his finger towards Galing. "Make sure that you keep her around!"

Frustrated, Usagi stammered out a response: "I…you…What's up with you? I don't get you!"

Olugbeja shot her another mischievous look. "Really? Then perhaps we should remedy that!" With a flick of his wrist, he produced his business card. He untraditionally offered it to her between his middle and index fingers. Usagi still took it with both hands and read it.

"Em-Embassy of Nigeria?" She looked back to him. "You're an ambassador?"

"Assistant. That's one of the reasons why I'm here," he said.

"One of the reasons? In addition to…?" Galing asked.

"In addition to taking beautiful ladies out for lunch." He smiled. Usagi blushed. "Just give me a call or text when you're in the neighborhood." He nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Usagi yelled. "You're gonna wait for _me_ to ask _you_ to lunch?"

Without turning around, Olugbeja answered: "I think it best to follow the lead of the lady sometimes, Puff-Puff. More often, it's women who know exactly what they want."

Usagi let his words stew for a moment. "If that's the case, then stop calling me 'Puff-Puff!'"

The young man nodded once. "No problem." He took a few steps, stopped and turned back. "But just so you know," he locked his eyes to Usagi's, "puff-puff is my favorite dessert." With a final wink, he turned and headed towards his destination. "Goodbye," he said, finally moving out of earshot.

This time, Usagi caught it. He definitely wasn't speaking Japanese when he said "goodbye." The sound that she heard was clearly "o-da-a-bo." Yet, she unmistakably understood it…and knew how to respond if she wanted to. Freaky! Now she knew why Naru was so confused when they first ran into him.

"What a beautiful language."

Usagi turned to Galing. Once again, the words being spoken were that of this strange tongue, and once again, she knew exactly what was being said. Only this time the speaker was Galing! Needing a break, Usagi switched the conversation back to Japanese.

"You know how to speak…whatever it was that he was speaking?

Galing looked at Usagi and nodded. "It's Yoruba. Native to parts of Africa. I picked it up from a visiting doctor back home."

Hearing those words made Usagi think back to their meeting just four days ago. She had been wrestling with this feeling that something more than Luna's feelings had brought them together. Even something deeper than their connection as senshi. They seemed to have an instant bond…as if they had shared time and experiences. As friendly as Usagi was, even SHE didn't make things happen this easily! If she got a positive answer to her next question, maybe some more light could be shed on the situation.

"Galing," Usagi began, with a touch of anticipation in her voice, "have you…always been good at picking up languages?"

Galing's body language changed. "Yes. I have." She looked at Usagi with interest. "Have you?"

"Yeah. My whole life."

Galing sat in silent contemplation for a moment. A hopeful look flashed across her face. "Have you ever had a dream about a white castle? Maybe…like a vision?"

Usagi pursed her lips. "I've definitely had some weird feelings lately…but nothing about a castle." She giggled. "Well, not since I was a little girl and dreamed about being a princess!" She laughed a little harder. "A princess on the moon! Silly baby stuff, right?"

Luna swallowed nervously. The girls didn't seem to notice. "Ladies, this conversation has been interesting, but we need to get going! And, yes, Usagi, we can get breakfast first!"

Usagi rolled her eyes. "As if I were giving you a choice! And keep your voice down! We already got caught once! We don't need anyone other than that Olugbeja guy suspecting anything!"

Giggling softly, Galing put her laptop away, stood up, and looked at Usagi with a girlish grin. "Oh, I think that he suspects a little, blushing blonde bunny will be giving him a phone call!"

Usagi stumbled over her speech as Galing walked away with Luna in her arms. "Well…I…maybe…hey! What do you care?" She continued to rant as they made their way to breakfast.

* * *

Turning her key, Galing opened the door to her apartment in Ebisu. Luna and Usagi followed her in, the latter carrying the bag from the store.

"Galing…this is _huge_!" Usagi mused out loud as she took in the spaciousness of the living area. The room boasted a white leather couch/loveseat combo, a marble centerpiece table with a glass top and a chandelier. Built-in bookshelves were filled to capacity with extra books stacked neatly on the floor. The blue and white Persian rug tied the color scheme together with the rest of the assorted furniture and knick-knacks in the room. Only one thing hanging on the wall felt like it threw off the immaculate decor. Usagi walked towards it. "What's this?"

"Oh, that's the Australian Aboriginal flag," Galing answered as she set her computer up on the corner desk. "Ancestry from my father's side is from the Wiradjuri people." She looked to Usagi and smiled. "Black represents the people, yellow, the sun, and red, the earth. Do you understand?"

With a wide smile, Usagi responded. "Yes, I do!" Galing's explanation and Usagi's confirmation were both in the Wiradjuri language.

It warmed Luna's soul to see the two girls making a deeper connection. It immediately chilled her body when Galing removed the Redline wrist monitor from its packaging. "Will you need to take it apart?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"Probably not," Galing said while hooking the monitor to her computer. "I can get into the code for both the app and monitor from here."

"Y'know, Galing," Usagi began, pulling up a plush office chair, "You're awfully good at all of this computer programming for someone who says that they just know the 'basics.'"

Galing answered while beginning to dig into the code. "Well, after our first encounter, I went and picked up a couple of books on coding at an intermediate level. I read them over the past few days."

Usagi and Luna couldn't help but exchange looks of bewildered admiration as Galing continued to work. After a few seconds, Galing stopped typing and exhaled deeply.

"It's very similar to what we saw with the Crystal Disk," she explained. "And Luna's feelings are spot-on: the wrist monitor is definitely used for storing energy, just like the disks. One difference with this software is that it's programmed to interact with other apps on a phone. Especially apps with some kind of an alarm or alert. It will cause them to go off randomly, at full volume."

"That doesn't seem too smart," Usagi said. "Wouldn't you just delete the app if it's causing so many problems?"

"Looks like they thought of that," Galing said while scrolling through the code. "The malfunctions won't activate until three to seven other apps have been downloaded to the device after the Redline app." She scrolled some more. "The whole thing is designed to drive you crazy! Ringing alarms, random malfunctions…even its default notifications are loud, aggressive, and invasive!"

"Using people's physical activity, raising their anxiety level…just more ways to create and capture energy!" Luna spat. "Galing, can you deactivate these devices?"

Galing turned a sad look to Luna. "The code got an update two days ago. It was made _specifically_ against the code that I used on the Crystal Disks!" She shook her head. "I can't do it…" She paused and tilted her head, "…from here…"

Usagi furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

Galing opened an internet window. Some quick keystrokes led her to a company page. "This is the local distributor for the Redline monitor. According to what I've analyzed, it's also where all of the data flows through." She pushed herself away from the screen and turned towards Usagi and Luna. "If that much information is moving through one point, there has to be a main processing unit with several servers handling it. If we can get to the source, we can disrupt it! The same type of code should work, but it has to be delivered directly."

Luna looked optimistic. "Can you do that?"

Galing returned to the screen. "I think so, but I'd have to find a way to wire into the local network, plus watch data flow to and from the monitor to see how exactly the code is affecting it." Her mind immediately grasped a solution: "I'd need to be transformed!"

"Oh, wow," Usagi exclaimed, "this is gonna be like a full mission for you!" She smiled. "Hey! If you need some backup or a lookout, let me know!"

Galing fixed Usagi with a thoughtful look…one that wouldn't have been out of place if it were on Luna's face. "What are you thinking?" Usagi asked with caution.

"I need to navigate the mainframe for building security, including the cameras, pull up the blueprints and the floor layouts while trying to overlay the data flow, monitor the separate Redline data stream, ensure that the code is delivered, and try to compensate for any unforeseen anomalies. I need my laptop and my Sailor Mercury computer running at the same time. I can't do all of that, walk into the building, administer the code, and walk out nonchalantly." She laughed softly. "Especially while wearing a sparkly Halloween costume."

Usagi looked uncomfortable. "Am I going to like this?"

"It depends how adventurous you are." Galing smiled. "Based on what I know about you so far, I think you can do it! Especially with the new ability that you told me about."

Luna walked across the desk to Galing. "What's your plan?"

Galing did some more typing, bringing up a picture. Luna and Usagi took a look. "This might be our ticket inside," the Aussie stated. Luna smirked. Usagi groaned.

"You expect me to wear THAT?!"

* * *

 _Don't go too far! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be right back!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	11. Act IV: Brilliant Disguise - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act IV: Brilliant Disguise**

 _Hey! Did you bring back enough to share? Back to The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2**

Usagi's heart raced as she held her transformation brooch in her hand and a flash drive in the other. Waiting in a bathroom stall at Mugenzu-Meiohzu station until everyone left wasn't her idea of the best way to start a mission, yet here she was with Galing and a concealed Luna in the next stall. Sure, the plan seemed simple enough when it was coming out of the genius mouth of Galing. It was another thing to actually come downtown and put everything into action.

It was only about two hours earlier that Galing had laid out what needed to be done. Usagi could recall listening anxiously while staring at Galing's computer screen. Her gaze was greeted with a revolting sight: an orange and gray polyester jumpsuit. The drab uniform was the one worn by the company responsible for the 24/7 maintenance of the building.

The Aussie explained: "If you can transform and pass for a maintenance worker, you would have pretty much free rein throughout the building. You could get inside and into the Redline server room."

"Ok, but I don't know anything about computers!" Usagi exclaimed. "How is a non-genius supposed to upload computer code?"

Galing tapped an item on the shelf of her computer desk. Usagi and Luna looked over. It was a strange looking flash drive. "When I started reading those books on intermediate coding, I thought about what issues we might run into. I was able to purchase one of those flash drives that have a full processor inside. Once you connect it, the computer system will take care of the rest."

Once again, Usagi was impressed. "Okay, then!"

"Remember, Usagi," Luna added, "you can't hold that illusion forever. You have to concentrate, keep the image in your mind. Once you get distracted or too tired, you'll revert back to your normal appearance."

Usagi laughed. "Hey! That might scare someone out of the way! 'Oh my! She's a shapeshifter! Manga stories are real!'"

Luna sighed. Before she could speak, Usagi jumped in: "I know, I know, take it seriously." Usagi let out her own sigh. "But this is gonna be tough. Are you sure that there's no other way?"

Galing shrugged. "I'm sure there are many different ways in which to get the job done. But, as of now, this is the best plan that I could come up with." She plugged in the computer stick and began typing. "It'll take me about an hour to code everything. If you can come up with a better plan in that time, let me know." She stopped, looked to her counterpart, and smiled. "Or else, get ready to become Japan's newest spy!"

If that whole "spy" thing sounded cute but unnerving a couple of hours ago, it was downright panic-inducing right now. It was only fitting that she was currently sitting on a toilet seat.

The airflow from a hand dryer whirred to a stop, the door opened and closed. Silence confirmed that the lavatory was finally empty. "Good thing this is a weekend," Galing stated, "else, we may have been stuck here for a few hours!"

Usagi steeled herself, preparing for the next step. "Ok, guys, are you ready?"

"Just a moment!" Luna chirped.

"What?" Usagi asked incredulously. "What do you need to do? I don't see any kitty litter around so…"

Usagi trailed off as she saw a bright light shine over the stall. Suddenly, it was gone.

"Usagi, heads up!" Galing's voice called. The owner of the blonde ponytails looked up to see a small, white object coming towards her.

"Did you get it?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, I got it." Usagi didn't feel it necessary to mention how close it had come to finding the bottom of the toilet bowl. She examined the interesting device. "What's it for?"

"You need to transform," Luna said, "then we can talk about it."

"I was _ready_ to transform and _you_ interrupted me!" Usagi seethed. She immediately heard a soft giggle.

"C'mon Usagi," Galing soothed, "let's go."

Re-centering herself, Usagi recalled the incantation necessary to take her temporary form and locked onto the (tacky) image in her mind. She and Galing (softly) called out at the same time:

"Mercury Power…Make…Up!"

"Moon Power! Turn me into a…"

Usagi shuddered.

"…maintenance worker!"

Usagi closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was surrounded by streaks of light. Just for a second, she felt like she was floating as the vertical stripes squeezed in on her. With a flash, she was returned to the stall. She looked down. With a mixture of excitement and dismay, she could see and feel the sturdy outfit on her person. But…something felt…off. Picking up both the device thrown to her and the flash drive, she quickly exited the stall and moved to the mirror…and let out a loud yelp.

"Usagi, are you ok?" Luna's voice came from the stall.

"My…my…my hair! I have a bob cut!" She let her eyes take in everything else. "And this thing looks even worse on me than I thought it would!"

The other stall door swung open. "Calm down, Usagi," Sailor Mercury said. "You look great. Now let's get ready." Usagi looked over to see the Senshi of Intelligence wearing a brown, floor length robe with a hood pulled halfway over her face. Usagi couldn't help but laugh.

"That's not a good job at keeping a low profile!"

"It's better than my senshi outfit," Sailor Mercury countered. "I'll be able to sit in peace and guide you through without standing out too much. Plus, this is Downtown Tokyo. I'm not the strangest thing that people will see all day."

Usagi was set to challenge that assertion (especially since there were no sci-fi/pop culture conventions this weekend) when Luna leapt onto the sink.

"Sailor Mercury, it was an act of simple genius to throw that robe over your fuku!" She turned to Usagi. "That little white pod I gave you is a communicator. Place it in your ear and the three of us can keep in touch. You don't have to activate it, it's automatic."

Usagi gave the communicator a look, then placed it gently in her ear. Luna covered her mouth and whispered into her collar. "Yep! Loud and clear!" Usagi responded.

"Excellent," Luna said. "Now there's no time to waste. Let's get going before-"

The door to the bathroom swung open and two chatty older ladies walked in. The pair froze and went silent immediately upon seeing a maintenance worker, a black cat on the sink, and a hooded figure all staring at them. Silently, they both gave a couple of quick bows and backed out of the bathroom.

The trio stood unmoving. "I guess time's up," Usagi said to break the silence.

Luna smiled. "No more stalling ladies! Let's take our positions and go!"

Luna bounded down and jumped into Sailor Mercury's robe to hide. Usagi took a deep breath, shoved the flash drive into the exterior breast pocket, and exited the bathroom, making a turn towards the entrance to the Meiohzu-Minami building. Fortunately, most people left the station and took exits near (or into) the main Meiohzu building, so the southern extension of the mirrored exit hall was fairly quiet, but still had the immediate entrance that the girls needed.

Sailor Mercury found an outlet and a good sitting spot close enough to the building to connect, but far enough not to draw the suspicion of security. She set up her laptop and activated her supercomputer underneath her hood.

"Usagi, I'm all set here!" Sailor Mercury whispered.

"And, I'll be right here too," Luna assured. "I know that you can do this, Usagi!"

The recently transformed maintenance worker stood just outside of visual range of the first-floor lobby. Her knees were shaking as she pondered all of the things that could go wrong: What if she was caught in the act of sabotage? What if she lost concentration and reverted? What if she couldn't even get past the first security guard at the first checkpoint? What if cameras actually caught her wearing this thing? She wasn't a spy, and she certainly didn't have the mind of Sailor Mercury. How was she going to accomplish this?

Despite her unease, a strong feeling welled up inside her, pushing through her nervousness. It was the same sensation that she felt at Osa-P, the bridal shop, and Crystal Seminar. It was the simple fact that people would be hurt if she did nothing. Sometimes fighting for love and justice was going to be ugly. She turned her head to her distorted reflection in the wall…and sighed. Sometimes it would get very ugly.

"Guys," she whispered, "I'm going in!"

Nervous, but determined, Usagi walked nonchalantly – well, as nonchalantly as _she_ could manage – towards the security checkpoint. The guard saw her from a few meters away and offered a smile and a bow.

"Usagi," Sailor Mercury's voice came crystal clear in her ear, "I have the code to enter the building. As soon as you get to the check point, type it in." Usagi listened intently as Mercury rattled of the number. Once the code was delivered to her ear, Usagi found herself face-to-face with the guard.

"Do you have your badge?"

Usagi stifled a wince. "Badge?"

"Yes, your ID badge."

Mercury covered her mouth under the brown hood. "I didn't think about that!"

That line didn't make Usagi feel any better. She stammered out a reply: "Uhh…I have a code. I can type it in."

The guard looked suspicious. "The code is for guests. You're a worker. Where is your badge?"

"Usagi…do something…" Luna urged.

Usagi stood there, dumbfounded. Here she was at the first obstacle, and already it looked like a dead end. She was in trouble. How did she usually get out of trouble?

Suddenly, Usagi broke into a fit of uproarious laughter. "I am so sorry! I am such a ditz!" She rapped herself on the head with her fist in a depreciating manner. "I left my ID upstairs and I knew the code could get me back in the building." She coyly batted her eyes at the guard. "Can I use the code to get in this one time, please?"

The guard gave her a strange look…then began to chuckle himself. "You young people, right out of high school! You've got to learn some responsibility! This is the real world." He motioned towards the scanner/keypad. "Go ahead, but please be more careful next time."

Usagi smiled, bowed, entered the code, and quickly walked past the guard station. "That was scary!" she hissed.

Luna gave a soft laugh. "Who knew that your silliness was a secret weapon?"

"That and an inexperienced guard," added Mercury. "That guy has only been working here for 3 weeks, and he's only 2 years out of high school himself!"

"Alright," Usagi said, getting back into the mood, "what's next?"

Sailor Mercury, with a plethora of information at her fingertips, navigated to the building layout. "Walk straight down the hall. The elevators will be on the left. Take one to the 13th floor."

"And try to find one that's empty," Luna added. "Be inconspicuous and be seen by as few people as possible."

"Ok, ok," Usagi answered. She began to hum softly as she made her way towards the elevators.

"Usagi," Mercury began, "humming the theme to 'Mission: Impossible' is not being inconspicuous."

Usagi thought about it. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She continued on.

"Humming the '007' theme is not any better."

Usagi huffed as she reached the elevator. "I just can't have any fun, huh?" She pressed the up button and one of the elevators dinged and opened. She took a quick look up and down the hall to ensure that they were empty. She then quickly walked to the open elevator and selected the floor.

As the doors began to slide closed, she exhaled, prepping herself for the next phase. Out of nowhere, a hand appeared between the two doors. The elevator opened up again, now revealing a tall, brown-haired foreigner with glasses and a reversed baseball cap.

"Sorry about that!" he said while making himself comfortable next to Usagi and pressing the button for floor 25. Usagi stood silently, waiting for her exit. Her new co-traveler wasn't so intent on keeping the silence.

"Don't you love these new hi-tech companies? I mean, they just pop up like weeds, 90% die, and only one in 100 make it big! Imagine how few will still be in this building a year from now. You gotta have the skills to make it big in this world! Especially a city like Tokyo!" He grabbed the lapels of his bright orange jacket in a prideful manner. "I'm actually a big deal myself! I've won the biggest, most coveted prizes at every arcade that you can think of in this city. I'm the king of the crane games!" He smiled. "Actually, I just knew how to cheat 'em!"

"How long does it take to get up to floor 13?" Usagi thought to herself.

"That's why they brought me on! If they keep beating you, hire 'em, right?" He turned his eyes to Usagi. "Hey, you're cute! If you want to hear some more about my adventures here, let's go to lunch sometime! You can pick a nice place. I definitely have the money to spend!"

Mercifully, the car finally reached floor 13. Usagi quickly moved to get off. "Excuse me?" the man asked. "What about lunch?"

"Uhh…I'll catch you next time I'm at work!"

"I didn't even tell you my name!"

Usagi shrugged. "Uhh…can I just call you Joe?" She forced a smile as the doors slid closed before he could reply. Her face was burning from embarrassment and discomfort. The constant giggling in her ear only helped to exacerbate the feeling. "That was NOT funny!" she growled.

"You should take him up on his offer!" Mercury joked. "I'm sure that he had plenty of fascinating tales about himself!"

Irritated, and starting to feel a bit of strain from holding the transformation, Usagi examined her surroundings. There was a short hall emanating from the location of the elevators and the main hall running perpendicular to where she was standing. While she did hear some faint voices, she didn't see anyone.

"Ok, which way?" she asked.

Sailor Mercury overlaid real-time data flow with the plans of floor 13. "From the elevator, you're gonna make a right. 9th door down on the left should be the Redline server room. It's got a key code. I'll start working on it."

Usagi quickly made her way down the hall. That annoying guy on the elevator did have a point, though: there were a lot of different companies on this floor. As she saw the company logos with strange names like "Clock Look," she wondered what could be hiding behind all of these oak doors. Finally, her count came to nine. She stopped at the door, helpfully marked: "Redline server room".

"I'm here."

"Give me a second," the Senshi of Intelligence said. "This room is pretty secure…"

"Hey!"

A voice from down the hall grabbed Usagi's attention, causing her to look. Walking quickly towards her was a young man wearing the same uniform that she presently was. Usagi felt her nerves bubble back up…and the strain on her concentration increase.

"Any minute now, Galing…"

"Just a few more seconds…"

The man continued to approach her. "What are you doing?"

"I…I have to check on the systems in here. It'll just take a few moments."

Even at 30 meters, Usagi could tell that his face had become angry. "Are you with Systems Maintenance?"

Usagi swallowed hard. She was beginning to sweat. She didn't know how much longer she could hold the illusion. "Yes, I am. Like I said, it will only be a few moments."

The door clicked. "Got it!" Mercury exclaimed over the communicator.

Usagi turned the handle to enter, but the worker quickly closed the distance between them. He was now directly in her face. Usagi's breathing picked up.

"I called for someone to come over three hours ago! It is completely unacceptable to arrive this late! Between you and that security guard, this is one of the most embarrassing days of work I've ever been a part of!" He pushed the door open fully. "Get to work! Quickly!"

Usagi, now shaking, bowed deeply and turned to go into the room.

"What's that in your ear?"

"It's a communicator…a…a new one…j-just made." Usagi answered, realizing what she said too late. She nervously ran her hand over her ear.

The man scoffed. "You're the last person that they should trust to test a prototype." He turned to leave. "I trust that you know what NOT to touch?"

"Yeah, I know," she answered quickly, sweat running down her face.

The worker began to walk away, the door closing and locking behind him. Exhausted, Usagi collapsed to her knees. A soft light shone off of her disguise. She looked at her arms. The energy escaping her seemed to take the form of unraveling pink ribbons. As they left her body and dissolved, her original outfit was revealed. She closed her eyes and felt the weight of the transformation removed from her body. The only thing that seemed to have weight added to it was her head: her ponytails were back. She heard a soft thud and opened her eyes. With her outfit dissolved, there was no longer a pocket for the flash drive to rest in.

"Usagi! Are you alright?" Luna's concerned voice came through.

"I'm good," Usagi answered listlessly, wiping her brow. "I'm me again. Thank goodness that part is over." She closed her eyes and sighed. "But I have to do that all over again to leave, don't I?"

"Why not play as the lost guest?" Mercury suggested. "You're a totally different person now." She returned to the mission. "Anyway, do you see the main server?"

Usagi picked herself and the flash drive up off of the ground and looked around. "I don't know what a server looks like. I see the door that I came in through and three walls with nothing but weird looking panels with flashing lights…and wires…and plugs…" she trailed off. "I think this whole room is a computer!"

"You're in the right place!" Mercury assured her. "Look for USB ports, just like on a laptop. Once the drive is activated, I'll be able to see the process and help it move along."

Usagi began to scan the "walls". Upon further inspection, they looked as if the backs of hundreds of computers had been stacked on top of each other. Eventually, her eyes caught something on the side that stood out: this panel was actually three separate, color coded rows of USB ports. "Hey, there's a bunch of ports all together here! One group is pink, one is yellow, one is blue. Which one should I pick?"

"I don't know, Usagi," Mercury answered. "Place the flash drive in one and let's see what happens."

Usagi took one more look and her mind was made up. She placed the drive in the first port with the pink highlights. The drive whirred to life. Usagi waited about 30 seconds for something from Sailor Mercury.

"That's a kick in the guts…"

"What was that?" Usagi demanded.

"I think that you just touched what that guy told you not to! There's a silent alarm going off and the system is initiating a cascading shutdown!"

Usagi began to panic. "What!? What am I supposed to do?"

"First, switch the flash drive to the blue USB ports. I'll scramble the code to the door and activate its timed lock. That will give you some time to come up with an escape plan."

"Escape plan!?" Usagi yelped as she moved the flash drive. "You're locking the door!"

"Usagi," Luna began, "be ready to transform and escape by whatever means are necessary!"

Before Usagi could give another freaked reply, loud pounding came to the door.

"Open this door! You told me that you knew what not to touch! Get out of there, NOW!"

Usagi began to tremble. "Luna…Galing…"

"Sailor Mercury is working Usagi," Luna responded. "Hang on!"

More pounding. "How did you change the code? How did you activate the timed locks? Only supervisors know how to do that! Security is on the way! Open this door and turn yourself in!"

Usagi pulled out her brooch and held it to the ceiling with a shaky arm. Could she transform now? Would she have to use force to get past this infuriating man and security guards who were all simply doing their jobs? And what about Sailor Moon's reputation? As of now she was a mysterious fighter for justice to the public. If she was caught here, completely transformed, what would the fallout be? A teary eye marked her indecision as more voices gathered outside. She was frustrated: struggling to do everything right, and then it all falls apart.

A beep, a click, the knob began to jiggle. Usagi knew that the moment had arrived. She took a deep breath…

"WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

"Where did this come from?"

"I CAN'T SEE!"

"SMOKE, SMOKE!"

"No! It's not smoke! Don't panic!"

Usagi dropped her arm at the sounds of terror outside the door. Suddenly, the door whooshed open. Usagi could barely make out the shape of a few security guards and her (former) co-worker before the room became completely enveloped in a thick fog. A hand covered Usagi's mouth as she was forcefully pulled to the floor. Once down there, her face was greeted by those of Sailor Mercury and Luna.

"This visor has incredible settings!" Mercury exclaimed. "Thermal imaging, infrared-"

"I don't care what kind of 'red' it has, let's go!" Usagi snapped.

Mercury took Usagi by the hand and guided her through the confusion and down the hall. "Usagi, I think that all of the security is behind us now. You should transform. I don't know what kind of acrobatics we'll need to get out of this place."

Usagi nodded, and with brooch in hand quickly gave her transformation phrase:

"Moon Prism Power…Make…UP!"

A bright flash illuminated the fog. Mercury grabbed the now gloved hand of her companion and they continued down the hall.

"Sailor Moon, how are you doing?" Luna asked from her position, tucked under Sailor Mercury's arm.

"Fine! Totally fine!" came the sarcastic response. "Just waiting for the next thing to go wrong."

As if cruelly on cue, the fire alarm began to blare.

"Get downstairs! Take the main stairwell!" The voices behind the senshi began to fade as the workers and security made their way downstairs. The guardians and their mentor continued to move to the end of the hall. Upon reaching it, they discovered that the fog had cleared, and that there was another stairwell for escape.

Sailor Moon stood there, staring into the fog with her arms folded. "What a day." She turned to her fellow warrior. "So, were you able to finish…" Sailor Moon cut her question short as she saw that Mercury was transfixed on what was in front of her. Sailor Mercury was intently scanning her supercomputer while seemingly staring at the huge oak double doors.

"I thought that the server room that I led you to was the main hub," Mercury started, "but _this_ room has an unbelievable amount of data coming in and out. The majority of it is masked." She looked down at the door handle keypad. "It could take almost an hour just to crack the code on this door!" She reached her hand out to the door. "I wonder-"

Immediately upon contact with the door, Sailor Mercury shrieked and fell backwards. Sailor Moon and Luna were at her side in an instant.

"Sailor Mercury! Are you ok?" Sailor Moon asked.

"What happened?" Luna inquired.

"I…uh…" Mercury stammered. Her eyes fixed onto her visor again. "Hey, we need to find a way out! The fireys are on their way!"

"I need to know that you're alright first!" Sailor Moon demanded.

"I'm good. Don't worry," Mercury assured her. "Come on, our best bet is the delivery dock."

The trio turned towards the exit. But not before Sailor Moon took a look back at the door that had shocked Sailor Mercury. She made a point that she would remember exactly what the door read:

Z.O.I. Cyber, CEO: Señor Z

* * *

Usagi, Galing, and Luna sat at a secluded spot on the harbor, contemplating their adventure as the sunlight faded. Unfortunately, the girls could only be semi-satisfied.

"Only Japan?" Usagi asked.

Galing nodded sadly. "Once the shutdown started, much of the Redline code became inaccessible. It looked like Russia and the international locations went down first." She brightened just a tad. "Fortunately, the blue ports didn't have any security issues and the code was still able to clean the Japanese servers. And I may still be able to get some info to the same cybersecurity companies as last time."

"Yeah, but they'll still be able to steal energy all around the world." Usagi paused and dropped her head. "And it's my fault."

"You can't blame yourself, Usagi," Luna said. "You did an admirable job infiltrating the building and giving Galing a change to stop at least part of their schemes." She sat up. "Plus, we have some more information to go on now. I'll start researching this Z.O.I. Cyber company."

Usagi shot Luna a suspicious look. She wondered how a cat was going to research a company, but then remembered that this same feline was able to usurp her phone's texting capabilities. If Luna wanted to do research, she'd obviously find a way. Usagi turned her blue-eyed gaze to Galing. "What was it about that door that shook you?"

Galing blushed. "I…I'm not sure. There was so much packed into a fraction of a second: that same white castle, a fierce battle, a blonde ponytail-like hairstyle, a chessboard with a worthy opponent…" She shook her head. "I can't make sense out of this."

"I know what you mean," Usagi concurred. "All of these strange feelings…and they go along hand-in-hand with being a senshi. There's something bigger going on." She turned to her original partner. "Luna, you know more about this 'sacred duty' than either of us. What do you make of these visions?"

Luna continued to stare out at the harbor.

"Luna?"

"Girls," the cat started, "your visions are yours to interpret and understand. I can't give you an honest, educated answer. They will mean something different to both of you…" she looked back at them, "…and to the rest of your team."

"Y'know, you've told us before that more senshi are coming. You have absolute knowledge of that, but when it comes to helping us figure out what we're sensing in our visions, you've got nothing?" Usagi asked disbelievingly.

Luna nodded. "Some things I'm cursed to know. Some I'm not."

"Sounds like quite a burden," Galing responded while toying with her phone. She leaned over to Usagi. "Take a look at this! We made the news!"

Usagi gasped and snatched the phone. "What! They caught us on film?"

"No, no," Galing comforted. "Only the incident. If someone had seen us in our leotards and skirts, surely it would be in the headline."

Usagi pushed play as the group gathered around to watch. As Galing said, they only spoke generally about the confusion in the building once the mist began to build. Then the reporter said something unexpected: they had spoken to the person who pulled the fire alarm. The trio's fascination turned to jaw-dropping astonishment when the culprit was revealed to be a handsome, well-dressed assistant ambassador from the Nigerian consulate.

"Naturally, when I saw the mist, I pulled the fire alarm, thinking that it was smoke." The interviewer mentioned that it must have been a snap decision to do that with no other evidence of fire. He responded: "True, but it's better to err on the side of caution. The most important thing is that everyone got out safely." The line was followed by the slightest of smiles.

The three stared at the phone for a few seconds before Luna and Galing turned their heads to Usagi. She returned their look. "What?"

"That was…VERY…coincidental." Galing concluded.

Luna exhaled sharply. "Usagi, I'm becoming very, very wary of that young man. I'd be extra careful with him!"

Usagi chuckled at Luna's insinuation. Sure, he was kind of cute…but there was only one mystery man who had her complete and undivided attention. Perhaps the next time that she transformed, he would once again appear out of nowhere to help her! She smiled.

Galing's thoughts had moved on. "Well, I guess I'll have to go back tomorrow to get my things."

Horrified, Usagi turned to Galing. "You left your stuff in the hallway?"

Galing shook her head. "No, no. Once I created the mist in the hallway, I placed my robe and laptop in a locker. I wouldn't forget something like that!"

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you'd only forget about the badge needed to get into the building!"

The shy smile returned as Galing ran her fingers through her hair. "We all make mistakes and forget things at times." She looked at Usagi. "Like you never telling me that my hair turns blue when I become Sailor Mercury. I had to figure that out on my own. But we still got in there and came out clean. We make a very good team!"

Usagi couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, we did, and yes, we do!" She picked Luna up and held her face-to-face. "Hey Luna, whoever these new teammates are, they'd better be as awesome as we are now!"

Luna closed her eyes and shook her head. Whenever they did find the remaining senshi, one thing was guaranteed: none of them would be able to resist Usagi's amazing personality!

* * *

Standing tall, eyes closed, her other senses open, she let every sensation tell her its tale: the soft breeze flowing over her robes, the smell of flowers and exhaust, the subtle aftertaste of her ume wagashi, the sound of people's feet beginning to move.

She opened her eyes and crossed the street with everyone else (musing to herself about how they moved like a herd of bison) just about three blocks away from the grove of sakura trees that insulated her destination from the bustling neighborhood. This lively city block near the Sendaizaka-Ue bus stop was a far cry from the rolling plains that she called home. As she passed a condensation covered window, a muffled thud informed her that someone had surely met their defeat at the hands of a superior opponent. Moving on, she cast an observant eye to her natural surroundings: the river was calm, the two large crows that hung around sat peacefully on a high branch (as though awaiting her return), the barest sliver of the new moon, soon to set just minutes behind the sun, peeked out from behind a cloud. If she recalled her training correctly, this was a bad omen.

Reaching the trees, she turned and made her way down the sloping path and through the torii gates that had stood for generations. She allowed her hand to caress the stone marker inscribed with the words: "Hikawa Shrine". She made her way up the stairs of the small guest house adjacent to the traditional Shinto temple, a rogue gust blowing some of her waist-length black hair over her face.

Grumbling as she straightened her hair, she moved past her humble priestess quarters, entering the open room that she used for study and meditation. She sat down, lit a candle, and settled into her practiced pose. Calming her mind and breath, she concentrated on the signs that she had sensed – more accurately: what she thought the signs could have been…these practices were still new to her – hoping for a revelation.

Slowly, an odd object materialized in her mind: a sparkling white castle. Now a piece of flowing red fabric seemed to descend into her line of sight. With every undulation, embers appeared around the periphery. Two gloved white fingers moved through the sparks, slowly approaching each other. The instant that they touched, a circle of flame radiated outward, wiping the scene to a dusty, red surface with an equally rusty atmosphere. The view then ascended into space. As two oddly-shaped rocks flew by, two violet-lavender eyes opened. This action prompted a flash that revealed a red jewel, with golden bands forming on each side, sitting just above the eyes. A faint sound of crackling and burning began to rise…then a whoosh, accompanied by a rush of heat.

Gasping, she fell backwards, instinctively moving away from the perceived heat source. Sweating and startled, she looked at the candle…and saw no difference in intensity. Unconvinced, she turned her attention towards the ceiling. There, faint, fleeting, and rising quickly, was a puff of smoke, evidence that a strong flame recently existed. Propping herself back into a sitting position, she tried to make sense of the situation, but could only come up with a question:

"What the f—?"

* * *

 _One more evil scheme destroyed! But what happened to Sailor Mercury at the door? Weird. Anyway, Luna says that more help is coming. Soon, I hope! I could use another sweetheart like Galing or easygoing girl like Naru. Will I find one? Come and see next time on The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	12. NORTH DAKOTA, USA - Six Months Ago

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

( _Read the last paragraph of **Act IV Part 2** for this character's first introduction_)

* * *

 **NEW TOWN, NORTH DAKOTA, USA - Six Months Ago**

Standing tall, eyes closed, her other senses open, she let every sensation tell her its tale: the soft breeze flowing through her hair, the smell of the crisp, nighttime, autumn air, the lingering aftertaste of her last bison burger, the sound of someone settling into the chair on the porch.

"How did your last run-around go?" came the calm, slightly raspy voice.

"Would've been a lot better if I didn't hear yet another story about a lecherous old medicine man," she answered acerbically.

A low chuckle. "Don't believe everything that you hear," he responded.

The young woman opened her violet-lavender eyes just to affix him with an annoyed look. "I've _seen_ it enough to believe it, Grandpa!"

Another chuckle as the young woman turned her gaze to the southwest. From the outskirts of town, along the gentle foothills, they had a great view of the small community. She had always thought that it was fitting that they lived just a bit outside of town. The reservation was created for the Three Affiliated Tribes, and though she was told that there was some Arikara in the family tree, they were always seen as Sioux. Still, though an outsider, leaving the familiarity of home was going to be tough.

The young woman turned her head back as her grandfather pulled out a cigarette and lit it. She always hated the way that he did that. Not because she didn't love her grandpa, but because her father had those exact mannerisms. She detested the reminder. Her father would always light that damn cigarette right before once again proving himself to be the most selfish man in the world: before leaving his wife in the psych ward, before abandoning his daughter at the hoity-toity girls boarding academy, before turning his back on the community that raised him right after riding their votes to Washington and its filthy lucre. She sighed softly. Between her father and her sweet-though-recklessly-amorous grandpa, was it any wonder that she had a rough opinion of men?

While the grandfather could tell that her mind had gone to an uncomfortable place, he also sensed something else underlying her mood. He spoke: "What else is bothering you?"

She sighed deeply before answering. "My…my premonitions. They're getting…how can I say this? Stronger, but…cloudier? I'm not sure what's going on. I've got to go and figure this out." She made a pained expression with this answer. This was the path that both her mother and grandmother went down before becoming jokes and outcasts to the community. Though her grandfather said that it was a special spiritual ability passed down through her maternal line, most people just thought that it was weird.

Added to that was the fact that she knew that something life-changing was about to happen to her, but she couldn't tell what it was. Her visions were never clear and straight-forward, but she could usually interpret the rough meaning. But with the current premonitions? Just loud, vivid static. What grandiose event was hiding behind that veil? She was ready to discover.

With perfect timing the old man asked, "Where are you going?"

"Japan," she answered mindlessly.

The elder allowed a beat of silence while taking a long drag. " _Where_ are you going?"

She held back an eye roll. How did she not see this coming? "To find the answer of Wakan Tanka," she told him for the thirty-eighth time.

"How could you have lost something that is everything? Can your journey have a final step when your very first step takes you away from your goal? A smart, gifted girl like you would call that a 'paradox', right?"

The young woman bit her normally quick tongue. Despite the constant barrage of "why," and smart-aleck rhetorical questions, she knew that her grandfather was proud that she was stubborn enough to not simply accept what she was told without question (even when they were his teachings). Growing up exposed to the beliefs of not only the local First Nation tribes, but also Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindu, Buddhism, and others (at least that school was good for something!), she came to question the true nature of Wakan Tanka, God, Allah, the Universe, and whatever other name that humans came up with to describe the omnipotent, unknowable infinite. Driven by this passion, she decided to not be satisfied with books and internet searches. She had spent time teaching with a convent, sharing experiences and philosophy with visiting monks, even taking a short stint within a local coven. Now, a six-month exchange with a sponsor had netted her the chance to continue her journey with the teachings of Shinto. The night before she accepted the invitation, she meditated while watching the sky. The fourth planet of the Solar System shone brighter up there than she had ever seen before, standing out even with a full moon bearing down on it. As the two crows that lived on the property cawed into the night, her decision was made.

Calmly, confidently, she responded to her grandfather's question: "Paradox or not, I choose to explore it. I have questions, and I want answers. This is a big world and I want to experience my journey firsthand." She looked back at her grandfather. "Of course I'll take our teachings of Wakan Tanka with me…it IS part of the name that you gave me!"

The medicine man smiled. "I just always liked Wicapiwakan as a name."

Wicapiwakan stopped holding back the eye roll. "Sure, Grandpa!" Her attitude couldn't mask her love and respect for long. While she hated it when people dug through her negative feelings, her grandpa knew how to do it just right, allowing her to release her frustrations and move forward. She returned the smile. After a few unspoken moments, she turned towards the porch stairs.

"I wish that your mother and grandmother were here to see you off," the grandfather added.

"Don't worry," Wicapiwakan responded, "I spoke to them earlier."

The old Sioux nodded solemnly as the breeze strengthened just enough to blow majestically through his salt-and-pepper hair. "Vision Quest."

"Skype," the raven-haired beauty threw back. "I've told you before, Vision Quest is a lousy video chat app!"

Wicapiwakan stepped off of the porch, heading home to finish packing. As she turned towards the road to her little cottage on the family land, she let her hand pass over the mailbox carved with the family name, Pheta.

As she walked away, the tribal decorations on the wooden mailbox glowed softly with fresh embers.

The old man extinguished his cigarette and chuckled with pride. "That girl…"

* * *

 ** _Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:_**

 _Do you catch the train to work? I do! So, thinking about an evil attack on the metro system is scary! But is it as scary as this beautiful, mysterious girl at the temple? I don't know, but Luna has an interesting feeling about her. Things will certainly be fired up next time with " **Keeper of the Flame**!" Take care!_


	13. Act V: Keeper of the Flame - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wikapiwakan::?; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act V: Keeper of the Flame**

 _It's so great to hang out with friends! And wouldn't you know, Luna feels like another senshi may be close by. But it couldn't be this beautiful but scary girl at the temple…could it? Anyway, we have another thing to worry about! Demon trains are terrorizing the city! How are we going to stop this evil? Are we going to need some help? Either way, we have a job to do! And in the name of the Moon, I'll punish the evildoers!_

 **Part 1: Wicapiwakan Pheta**

As usual, the restaurants near Hiro-o Station were starting to fill up as the clocks hit 5PM on a Friday afternoon. Indoor and outdoor, the commotion continued to build as workers looked to revel in their freedom. Despite the competition, the happiest table of them all had to be outside of a local pizza parlor where Usagi (fresh off of devouring a medium Margherita) was enjoying watching Galing and Naru begin to bond. As badly as she wanted to let Naru in on her secret life, she figured that letting her meet the new senshi in her civilian form could help, in a roundabout way, to assuage some of her guilt.

"…and that's how an unsecured SQL database can cost a firm ¥7 billion in 24 hours! I'm glad that we caught that, or it could have been our firm on the news!"

Galing smiled sweetly at Naru's story. "Good thing that you know what to look for! One day we can sit down and go over some SQL tips that I've picked up that might help you out."

Naru looked surprised. "You're a database expert too? Wow!"

"I told you, Naru, she's a GENIUS!" Usagi butted in. "There's nothing that this girl can't do! She's even working on a…" Usagi froze and shot panicked eyes between Galing and Naru.

Naru affixed Usagi with a half-mocking, half-suspicious look. "A…secret project?"

"Actually," Galing started, "that's not far off. There is some special research that I'm doing for an organization outside of the program. It's putting my math skills to the test, but it's very intriguing."

Usagi exhaled. Naru looked back to her. "You can't keep a secret to save your life, can you?"

A weak giggle. "If only you knew", she thought to herself.

Galing returned to conversation with her new friend. "So, I was doing a bit of reading this week, and I saw that some of the most authentic souvenirs that a gaijin could pick up are good-luck charms sold at temples. Is that true?"

Naru thought for a moment. "Well, they do hold spiritual value for practitioners, so I wouldn't go and buy 50 of them to take home. But I would think that buying a couple, with respect for what they mean in Shinto, would be ok." She snapped her fingers. "In fact, there's a shrine less than 15 minutes from here! I'm sure that we can go and take a look."

"There's a shrine around here that sells talismans?" the blonde Juban High grad asked of her fellow alumna.

"Yeah," Naru replied. "It's close to Sendaizaka-Ue, the bus stop near that spicy udon rest-"

"I know where it is!" Usagi exclaimed.

Naru shot Usagi a withering stare, watching the triumphant expression morph into sheepishness. Now, Naru couldn't help but laugh before turning back. "Galing, would you like to head that way?"

Galing, also giggling, nodded. "Sure!"

The trio packed up their belongings, paid for the meal, and headed east, through the park. Once they reached the corner that made Usagi's mouth water, they turned and headed for the grove of sakura trees a few blocks away. Heading down the slope and underneath the torii gate, the crew finally got to the small outer courtyard. They were greeted by no one.

Naru frowned. "Where is everyone? This isn't the biggest temple, but there's usually at least a miko or two around this area."

Usagi also looked around for someone to talk to. A sharp jab to her ribs got her attention. Turning an evil look to Galing, she was greeted by a finger commanding her to look behind her. Usagi wheeled and looked into the brush. Her heart sank as she saw a familiar pair of eyes. She turned back to Galing. "Go with Naru and see if you can find anyone. I'll deal with this." Galing smirked and followed Naru as she looked around. Usagi quickly moved over to the bushes and squatted down. "Did you follow us over here?"

Luna shook her head. "This time, you were following me. I've been here almost all day."

Usagi took a deep breath. She was scared of the next question that she was about to ask. "So…what are you doing here?"

"Strange energy," the cat replied. "But the good news is that I don't sense evil."

Usagi gave a sharp, relieved, laugh. "That's some of the best news that I've heard in a while!" She furrowed her brow. "So, what do you sense?"

"It's similar to what I felt with Galing, but without the sinister force mixed in." Luna looked her partner square in the eye. "I think that the third senshi is near!"

"Holy crap!" the young woman yelped. She looked around for her friends. "We need to find Galing!"

"You go with your friends, I'll stay hidden. Keep your eyes open for anything unusual." Luna disappeared back into the brush and scampered away. Excitedly, Usagi turned and ran to find her girls.

Moving past the empty, smaller buildings, Usagi turned the corner into the main courtyard. Once there, her eyes fell on a decently-sized crowd gathered near the steps of the main temple. As Usagi moved closer, she could make out the faces of Galing and Naru. She could also see that the people seemed to be gathered around a solitary miko, directing all of their attention to her. It didn't take long before Usagi figured out that this was a highly unpleasant conversation. Naru caught sight of Usagi, broke from the crowd and walked quickly to her best friend.

"Maybe we should go," the auburn-haired accountant suggested.

Usagi continued to stare at the crowd and the long jet-black hair of the defensive, traditionally dressed shrine maiden. "Why? What's going on?"

"The people are venting a lot of frustration about this shrine. They believe that there's a connection between it and the 'demon trains.'"

Usagi tried to look like she knew what Naru was talking about. "Okay."

Naru saw through the deception. "The people getting on the subway and being caught by some 'evil force' that leaves them tired and sick? You haven't followed the news?"

Usagi pursed her lips. That actually did sound a bit familiar. Perhaps Luna had mentioned something like that being on The Negaverse over dinner. (Usagi was usually quite distracted at that time of the day.)

"Apparently," Naru continued, "a lot of people who frequent this temple have fallen victim. There are quite a few that are suspicious of the temple now. The miko is trying to smooth things over, but she's having…limited success."

Normally, Usagi would take the advice of her wise friend and leave. But, in this case, Luna's words were still fresh in her ears. If the next senshi might be here, she wanted to at least get a look at everybody. She began to walk over to the group.

"Usagi?"

"Uhh…I just want to see what's going on…" As she was walking, she studied the faces of the people. There was anger, confusion, sadness. But nothing that would separate a senshi from a normal person. Even Galing would have blended in casually if not for her ethnicity. "Where to begin?" Usagi thought to herself. "How does Luna do this? That energy sensing must be amazing!"

A pointing finger accompanied an angry voice. "We know that you know something about these trains! We deserve answers! Stop feigning ignorance and tell us what's happening!"

"I assure you; this temple has nothing to do with a 'demon train' or any other strange phenomenon going on," a stern voice answered. Usagi's ears perked up. The tone was a bit stronger that she was used to hearing from shrine maidens. "We're just as concerned as you."

"I don't believe you!" came the rude answer.

Usagi was parallel to the crowd now. After the refutation of her response, the miko angrily flipped her hair from the right side of her face and turned her head in that direction. For an instant, her sharp, violet-lavender eyes connected with Usagi's deep blues. Usagi froze as she took in the miko's face. Her hair and perfect Japanese led her to expect a compatriot, but once Usagi got a look at her cheekbones, lips, and nose, she knew that this shrine maiden was a foreigner…though she wasn't sure where from. She had never… _ever_ …seen a woman like that before! As the miko turned her attention back to the hostile crowd, Usagi moved around the throng to get a better look at her face. Her movements led to her bumping into Galing.

"Usagi, are you alright?" the Aussie asked.

"She…is… _beautiful_!" Usagi exclaimed with a look on her face usually reserved for romantic daydreams. "Where's she from?"

"I think that she's American." Galing looked inquisitively at the miko. "Maybe…Native American?"

"LOOK!" The harsh yell cut through the angry accusations, forcing silence among all hearers. "For the last time, Hikawa Shrine has nothing to do with the 'demon trains!' We are here to help this community! But if you're only going to bring conspiracy theories and a hateful attitude to this temple, then please leave now!" Usagi and her friends stood transfixed. The girl's eyes flashed with righteous anger. It was clear that she was not one to trifle with. The upset (and intimidated) crowd slowly began to disperse, murmuring as the miko watched them. Usagi, however, didn't move.

"I really think that now is a good time to leave," Naru insisted as she finally made her way to her friends. But Usagi was captivated by both the young woman's beauty and the words of Luna. Could this strong, robe-clad stranger be the one that Luna was talking about? As the crowd was just about completely thinned out, the miko sighed heavily, shaking her head. She turned to walk into the temple. A certain bun-headed waitress climbed the steps and followed.

"Usagi! What are you doing?" Galing hissed.

Suddenly the miko stopped. So did Usagi as her heart rate rose, anticipating the next moment. Usagi opened her mouth to…

"EVIL SPIRIT, BE EXORCISED!"

In one fluid motion, the miko pulled an ofuda from her sleeve, wheeled 180 degrees, and forcibly slapped the talisman directly onto her target…Usagi's forehead. The twin ponytails fluttered in the air as their owner fell backwards. The shrine maiden stood motionless with a horrified look on her face.

* * *

"Usagi? How are you doing?"

Usagi, drinking fresh green tea, was sitting up on the sleeping pallet in the shrine maiden's room. She had been taken there after the miko's misplaced exorcism left her splayed out and woozy on the temple stairs. The shrine maiden was now doting on her with Galing and Naru by her side.

Usagi turned to the raven-haired beauty and smiled, answering her question. "Oh, I'm ok! I've been hit a lot harder than that before!"

The miko looked embarrassed. "I apologize again. With everyone around here so jumpy and suspicious, I've been doing a lot of meditating trying to get in tune with any spirits that may be around. When you came behind me…" She paused. "I felt something…peculiar." She now looked at Usagi with interest. "You have a strange aura."

Naru laughed softly. "There's definitely something strange about her!"

Usagi shot her a look that said, "really?!"

Naru smiled. "That's what makes her special!"

The girls all laughed, easing the apprehension in the room. However, the shrine maiden still wasn't relaxed enough to mention the other strange happening with the current situation: when her hand made contact with Usagi's forehead, the image of the sparkling white castle flashed again.

"So, are you American?" Galing asked in her Australian English.

"Yes, I am. I'm from a small town in North Dakota. I'm actually the granddaughter of a Sioux medicine man."

"Wow! That is so cool!" Usagi exclaimed, obviously getting back to her normal self. She turned her smile to the miko. "What's your name?"

The American paused. The other girls looked confused. She opened her mouth…hesitated…then spoke.

"My name is Wicapiwakan."

Usagi, Galing, and Naru all tried to slowly sound out the odd assortment of consonants and vowels. Wicapiwakan immediately jumped in. "But, Pheta is fine."

"Pheta," Galing repeated. Naru nodded.

Usagi kept trying. "Wi…kap…pa…"

"Pheta is fine…"

"Wiki…wak…ke…"

"PHETA IS FINE!"

The trio was surprised by the outburst. Wicapiwakan closed her eyes, exhaled deeply and regained her composure. "It's just easier. I have a really, really foreign name, and two syllables is easier than five." She thought about the "n". "Technically, six in Japanese."

"Uhh…yeah," Naru responded. She looked to Usagi, using her eyes to signal that it was (again) time to go. Yet, the hard-headed heroine couldn't help herself.

"You seem like you're under a lot of stress Wik…umm…Pheta. Are you ok?"

Wicapiwakan looked into Usagi's eyes. It was the first time that she had truly looked at the young woman. Her face and posture softened. "When I first arrived, this position was like a dream! Getting to live in a new country, totally immersing myself in the culture, interacting with the public as a miko. It's been so much fun!" Her countenance clouded. "But, as soon as the 'demon train' rumors started swirling, it's been a nightmare. That crowd today wasn't even the worst this week! It's draining." She closed her eyes and dropped her head. "It's just draining."

The visiting trio exchanged looks of pity. Usagi put down her cup of tea, leaned forward, and smiled. "Hey, I don't think that this temple is evil! The food around here is way too good for that!" Naru covered her eyes and shook her head. Galing giggled softly. Usagi continued, "How about we come down here once in a while to keep you company?"

Wicapiwakan affixed Usagi with a wary look. What was with this girl? Was anyone actually _that_ friendly? Particularly to someone who had just knocked them out? But, looking into those eyes again, the miko's spirit calmed. This strange girl was definitely earnest and genuine.

Before the young Sioux could answer, her phone began to buzz. She quickly got up and scurried over to it. She had set an alarm for an important event. "Hey, I don't mean to kick you guys out, but I need to get ready for something at 7:00."

"Oh, you have a ceremony tonight?" Naru asked.

"Something like that," Wicapiwakan answered. She turned to Usagi. "I'm glad that you're feeling better. Come by anytime."

"No problem! It was great to meet you!" Usagi stood up and moved towards the exit with her friends. Once they had their shoes on, they turned to give their goodbyes. "Have a good night…Pheta!" Usagi said. With an amused half-smile on her face, Wicapiwakan turned back into her quarters.

Once she was out of sight of the temple visitors, Wicapiwakan re-checked the time. Upon confirmation, she pulled up the train schedule on her phone. As she made it back to her room, something on the floor caught her eye. There, on the pallet where Usagi was laying, was a decorative pin. She quickly picked it up and hustled back to the entrance. When she got there, the quiet courtyard confirmed that the party had left. "Damn it!" she said to herself. "I hope they do come back." She took the jewelry in her hand and gave it a good look…and immediately became entranced. Pink, turquoise, green, and orange gems sat on the rim of the golden pin. On its ruby face was a heart-modified symbol for the planet Mars drawn in gold. The young woman got a strange feeling while staring at the beautiful decoration. "This is a… _really_ …nice pin!"

* * *

Laying back in her bed, Usagi took a deep, relaxing breath. Naru had left the group in order to go and visit her parents. That would have left the apartment nice and quiet…if not for that incessant clicking. Usagi looked over to her small makeup desk. "That table will curse you if you do homework on it!" Galing, typing on her computer, didn't respond. Usagi rolled her whole body towards the genius. "What are you doing?"

"That 'secret project' that you were talking about," Galing responded.

Usagi bounced to the edge of her bed. "Cool! Let me see!" Usagi peered over Galing's shoulder…and was instantly overwhelmed. All that she could make out was columns of numbers and a strange-looking graph overlaid on a map of Tokyo. "Is this supposed to make sense?"

"I'm sure that she'll make some sense of it. Give her time." Usagi looked behind her. She never heard the cat come in, but there was Luna, sitting on the windowsill. "Galing, any breakthroughs?"

The Aussie looked forlorn. "No. I can't find a pattern to connect everything. I know that there's something that I'm missing…"

"Hey!" Usagi offered. "Why don't you tell me what you found? Maybe I can help!"

"Usagi!" Luna started, "you…and math?"

Galing turned from the desk. "You never know where innovation will come from," she said to the feline. She looked at Usagi. "I'll show you." Usagi stuck her tongue out at Luna and turned back to the screen for Galing's explanation.

"This is a detailed database on the 'demon train' attacks: time, date, location, duration. The biggest problem that the police have had is that the attacks have appeared to be random, except for the time of day: they're always right around 1900. When I plot the locations on the map in chronological order and animate it…" Galing typed a quick command and dots appeared and disappeared on the map.

Usagi saw the pattern. "They kind of spiral out."

"Precisely!" Galing confirmed. "It's a spiral based on the golden ratio. The origin point is centered over Sendaizaka, which is why so many people from that area fell victim. By overlaying Cartesian coordinates, you can see where the spiral intersects with metro and subway lines. Using an adaptation of the Fibonacci sequence, I was able to reproduce the pattern of which route segments along the spiral were skipped and which were affected. Once the spiral gets too big and reaches into the neighboring prefecture, the spiral starts over, flipping itself over the y-axis, then the x-axis, and two more flips back to the original spiral, but still using the Fibonacci sequence to maintain the veneer of randomness. Additionally, the direction of the spiral was key to deducing which direction the affected train was travelling."

Galing looked back to Usagi…and was greeted by a blank face. Even Luna had a curious eyebrow raised. The nurse practitioner produced a shy, embarrassed smile. "I can predict the next metro and subway lines that will be attacked." The smile faded. "But I still can't predict the day. The number of days between attacks is still too random."

Usagi held her face in her hands. "This sucks! These guys are right back to their plans and we can't catch them! It's so evil! Keeping people nervous 24/7/365."

"Oh!" Luna jibed. "So you do remem-"

"What did you say, Usagi?" Galing's sharp question stunned Usagi and Luna.

"I…I just said they're keeping people nervous 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Was I wrong? I know that a year is actually not exactly…" Usagi trailed off as Galing began to type like a madwoman. While they didn't really know what was going on, Galing's intensity drew Usagi and Luna closer to the screen.

Suddenly, the curly-haired Aborigine stopped, covering her mouth and nose with her hands. Usagi and Luna remained unmoving, waiting for some kind of information. "Usagi," Galing said through her hands.

"What?! What'd I do?!" Usagi asked defensively.

Galing looked at her with a smile. "You broke the code!" She looked back to the screen. "But we have to go now! The next attack is the subway from Akebonobashi towards Ichigaya…in 30 minutes!"

"Oh, jeez!" Usagi exclaimed as she jumped up and grabbed her brooch. "There's just no break, is there?"

"Justice never sleeps!" Luna quipped as she leapt into Galing's arms.

"Yeah, yeah! I figured that part out!" Usagi responded as the team headed for the door.

* * *

Usagi sat tensely on the Shinjuku Line train on the short ride from Ichigaya to Akebonobashi Station. She wasn't sure about what they were about to face, and it made her very nervous. The only comfort that she had right now was that Luna and Galing were with her. As a team, she had faith that they could succeed no matter what.

During the previous ride from Azabu-Juban to Ichigaya, Galing explained exactly what Usagi said in order to find the solution. "When you said '365', it made me think of Julian dates. Then I remembered that there had never been more than nine days between attacks. Now, digital roots of numbers are always between one and nine. When I calculated the digital root of the Julian date for each attack, it was equal to the number of days until the next recorded attack!"

"Julian dates? Digital roots?" Usagi asked.

Galing smiled sweetly. "We'll check Wikipedia once we're done with all of this!"

A familiar sensation let Usagi know that the train was nearing its stop. She snapped back to the present situation: they'd have about 90 seconds to exit the train, run upstairs to cross to the other side, descend, and get on the train heading in the opposite direction. Looking out of the window at the target platform, an unexpected figure among the crowd, wearing a red-and-white robe, caught Usagi's eye. She poked Galing as they rose to exit. "Hey! I think that that miko from earlier is over on the other platform!"

Galing looked thoughtful. "She did say that she had something to do at 1900. Looks like she's running late."

The train came to a stop, and Usagi's team burst out of the car, heading for the escalator. Quickly running through the station to the other side didn't allow many people to notice two girls carrying a live cat onto the train. As they ran down the crowded stair, the eastbound train was just arriving and beginning to empty out. The group finally made it down to the platform and entered the car with the rest of the crowd.

Once the doors slid closed, Usagi turned to Luna and Galing. "Ok, we're here…so what's the next step of this great plan?"

Glancing around the metro car, Galing responded. "I didn't really think about that. I just wanted to get here since this is the train to be attacked." She bit her lip. Usagi had never seen her do that before. "But I don't just want to wait here for the attack to come," the Aussie finished.

Usagi looked around the car as well. She noticed that they were near the rear conductor's (car). "I think that we should move towards the first car. If something happens it'll probably be near the active controls." "And," Usagi thought to herself, "that's where that miko from earlier is." Galing nodded in agreement to Usagi's plan, and the pair (plus Luna) began to move through the slightly crowded subway car.

No sooner than the girls took their first few steps, the car began to slow down. Passengers began to murmur and look around pensively as the entire train came to a full stop. A few instantly began to appear panicked: they were certain of what this meant.

Usagi was one of the panickers. "Oh my god! It's happening!" A sharp pain on her wrist got her to look down. Luna, claws out, fastened Usagi with a sharp, focused look, motioning her head towards the front car. Pulse racing, Usagi nodded and turned to Galing who returned both the gesture and the nervous sentiment.

Toting Luna, the girls began to make their way through the neighboring cars. The passengers continued to chatter and look for a solution to their predicament. Many jumped on their phones, but could get no signal.

As they made it to the halfway point of the train, a recognizable feeling came to the bodies of the heroines. "Oh, no!" Galing exclaimed, as a red hue began to take over the slowly dimming lights. While Usagi felt her energy beginning to drain, her terror was turned outward as she looked around at everyone in the car. This was the first time that she had seen the actual fear of imminent harm in the eyes of so many people at one time. It was as if she could feel every dire thought…and that scared her more than the enemy did.

As they worked their way into the second car from the front, a chill had taken over the train. The girls were almost out of energy. "Usagi, Galing!" Luna hissed. "You need to transform! You need the extra strength to keep going!"

"Luna!" Usagi responded through her throbbing head. "Why are you talking?!"

"Usagi, I don't think that it matters right now," Galing weakly countered. "Everyone is just about unconscious. No one is noticing." She pulled out her pin. "Come on!"

Usagi pulled her brooch out of her pocket and held it up with her waning strength.

"Moon Prism power…"

"Mercury power…"

"Make…UP!"

Flashes of light illuminated the darkening chamber as the two young women now took their superhero alter-egos. While they could still feel the drain on their energy, they now had enough stamina to continue on. Sailor Moon looked down at Luna, still in Sailor Mercury's arms. The cat was also looking a little better.

The group quickly moved through the suffering crowd and finally made it to the front car, dizzy but still standing. That dizziness made them question what they saw in front of them: while most of the people were either completely passed out or semi-conscious, there was one red-and-white robed miko looking at them as they came in the door. In addition to that, there was a different kind of red glow coming from her forehead. Luna and Sailor Mercury immediately recognized the shape: the symbol for the planet Mars.

While Sailor Moon didn't know exactly what the symbol was, she knew from the Crystal Seminar experience what this meant. "Hey, Luna," Sailor Moon said softly, "I think that you were right about her."

The seemingly unaffected young woman looked questioningly and the fascinating menagerie before her. "U-Usagi? From earlier at the temple?"

The power drain faded away for an instant as a different type of panic overtook Sailor Moon. But this was no time to stall or be coy. Still, she couldn't help but ask: "H-How did you know it was me?"

Wicapiwakan's eyes scanned Sailor Moon top to bottom. "You have a very hard-to-forget face…and hair." She shifted her view. "And your friend stands out in a crowd too."

Sailor Mercury stroked Luna as her headache began to grow worse. "No need to hide anything now." She turned her attention to the American. "How are you still standing?"

Wicapiwakan made a face. "I could ask you the same thing." She turned her gaze to the conductor's area. "I can feel a threatening presence all around us. I can even hear a voice…it's trying to speak to my spirit…to…hypnotize it. Take over." She turned back to the group. "I've had this awareness all of my life. I'm guessing that it's protecting me now."

Before the senshi could respond, the red glow brightened and the temperature seemed to drop by five degrees. Moon and Mercury dropped to their knees, the second careful not to drop the cringing Luna on the floor. Wicapiwakan's face became fearful. "It's louder…heavier…you guys have to get out of here!"

"There's no time for that!" Luna screeched. "Pheta, if you still have that pin, take it and say 'Mars power, make up!' Quickly!"

Wikapiwakan desperately wanted to know why a cat was talking, but (somehow) that wasn't the most important thing right now. She dug into the pockets of her robe and located the jeweled ornament. Pulling it out, she shot a worried look to the trio wincing and holding their heads in intense pain. Her eyes met with Sailor Moon's, the connection once again shaking her to the core…yet giving her a sense of calm in the midst of the turmoil. As the Champion of Justice's eyes started to close, Wicapiwakan tightened her grip on the pin in her hand and took a deep breath…

"Mars Power…Make…Up!"

* * *

 _Go grab some ramen! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be right back!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	14. Act V: Keeper of the Flame - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wikapiwakan::Rei; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act V: Keeper of the Flame**

 _In the name of the Moon…we return to The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2: Sailor Mars**

"I…I really hope I'm not going crazy…"

Wicapiwakan had good reason to doubt her sanity at this moment. She now found herself floating in a void, with blazing ribbons of light flying in circular patterns around her. She raised her hand in the air to touch them…and flames erupted from it! These flames streamed and spiraled from her hand in ribbons similar to the ones around her as she began spiraling in the opposite direction. The threads from her hand began to sink downward and surround her, closing in on her body. As the twirling of her body and the streams reached a fever pitch, a fiery flash temporarily blinded her. Quickly regaining her senses, she noticed that her body was being slowly stretched spread-eagle by rings of fire around her waist, torso, and limbs (and…her hair?). She could feel the intense heat from the flames, but she couldn't move…even as the rings began to shrink and close in on her skin…closer, and hotter…until the flames finally made contact. However, instead of singeing or consuming her, the flames had dissipated…along with her miko robes! There were now new clothes on her body! Another burst of heat came from her forehead, spreading around the entire circumference of her head. While she still wasn't sure what was happening, something about this brought a sly, mischievous smile to her face.

The void vanished, returning Wicapiwakan to the subway car. Her eyes again fell on Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and the weird talking cat. They were laying on the floor and it was obvious that they were all close to unconsciousness. She quickly moved towards them, stumbling at first before regaining her balance. Kneeling down, she touched the heads of the senshi…noticing that she now had long white gloves on. Upon contact, she felt as though power had drained from her body. Shaking off the lightheadedness, she watched as the two young ladies began to stir, working up to a sitting position their knees. The Sioux reached over to pick up Luna, figuring that whatever just happened with the ladies should help the cat too.

While Luna's eyes blinked to attention, Sailor Moon took a good look at her new colleague. "Y'know, Pheta, I am really jealous of the shoes!"

"Shoes?" Wicapiwakan asked. She looked down at her feet. She was now wearing sharp red pumps. She stood up and took a look at herself. Along with the gloves and high heels, she was now wearing a sailor fuku just like the other two. The only differences were that her front bow, with her pin set on top, was purple, and her rear bow, choker, and scarf were red. A ruby jewel sat in her gold tiara, and red seven-pointed stars dangled from her ears.

Luna looked up at the brand-new senshi now holding her and smiled. "I am very glad to meet you, Sailor Mars! I knew that we'd need someone with your iron will!"

Sailor Mars smiled. "I'm made of flesh and bone, not made of steel." She made a face, realizing that she was talking to a cat…and wondering what this new handle was. "'Sailor Mars'? Can someone tell me what's going on here?"

Luna leapt down to the ground. "You are Sailor Mars! One of the sacred senshi along with Sailor Mercury and Sailor Moon here! Your desire to fight this evil awoke your powers fully!"

"And as far as this attack goes," Sailor Mercury added, "your touch seems to be protecting us from the energy drain. You have an awesome ability."

Sailor Mars looked at her hands and let out a small laugh. "I guess Grandpa was right!" Her attention returned to the present situation as she scanned the cooled, red-tinted subway car. "I can hear that voice as clear as day! It's demanding energy…submission…life force…" A look of dreaded realization passed over her face. "It's a spirit-based attack…"

"It's not just that," Mercury chimed in, supercomputer activated. "There's something strange running throughout the entire circuitry of the train." She traced the flow with her finger. "And it's coming from the control room!"

Sailor Moon took a look at her partners, then at the suffering masses in the car. "I am really getting sick of this!" she muttered to herself.

The group opened up the door to the conductor's room. After gently setting the unconscious conductor in a sitting position in the corner, Sailor Mercury gave the control panel a thorough examination. "There's a piece of machinery in here that's governing the energy drain and collecting it. We need to remove it."

"Maybe so," Mars countered, "but we're beyond spare parts." She closed her eyes. "Our presence here has made this entity desperate…scared…" She opened her eyes and looked back to her new partners. "Scared of our power."

"Guardians…"

The senshi and Luna all instantly jumped to the side of the room opposite of the conductor's body.

"D-did he j-just…?" Sailor Moon stammered.

"Guardians…protected by the planets…" The sound was coming from the mouth of the unconscious conductor. His eyes slid open. The red of his eyes and the monstrous distortion of his voice caused the entire team to tremble. "Give your energy…she needs your energy…"

"'She' wants to subdue our energy," Sailor Mars answered. She turned to Luna. "You were right. My spirit was drawn to one of the other subway lines a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't go. That train got attacked. That's why I knew that I had to come today."

"The queen of this world…demands your energy…" The color of the conductor's eyes strengthened. "…or your sacrifice."

Sailor Moon had heard enough. "You tell your 'queen' that her days of hurting people are over! We will personally destroy whatever toys that she creates to steal energy!" She turned her eyes to the control panel. "Now, how am I going to do that?" she asked softly.

"I'm not sure," Sailor Mercury answered. She hovered her hand over the control panel. When her hand got too close, a spark of red electricity zapped her. "This looks like the same barrier that was in Crystal Seminar. I'm not sure how to get around it."

"I am," came a confident reply. The original trio looked over to their new addition. She had lost all sense of nervousness and was now facing the conductor and the control panel. "Whatever you are, you radiate pure evil. You should not exist in this world. And I will do everything that I can to usher you off of this plane!"

Sailor Moon looked confused. "We're in a subway car!" she whispered.

"'Plane' of existence," Sailor Mercury clarified.

Sailor Mars extended her right arm, then brought her hand to her pin.

"Protected by Mars! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and passion! I am Sailor Mars! And in the name of Mars, I'll chastise you!"

Moon, Mercury, and Luna watched as Sailor Mars transitioned from her somewhat awkward stance (just what or who was she pointing at, anyway?). Closing her eyes, she brought her middle and index fingers together just in front of her nose. A flash of blue flame emanated from between them, producing an ofuda. The Senshi of Passion began to chant:

"Rin…Pyou…Tou…Sha…Kai…Jin…Retsu…Zai…Zen!"

The ofuda between her fingers was now covered in blue flame. The original trio watched in awe as the transformed shrine maiden twirled her body, swinging the ofuda in an arc and placing it forcefully onto the control panel, all while shouting her command:

"EVIL SPIRIT, BE EXORCISED!"

As soon as the ofuda was slapped onto the control panel, blue flames exuded from the point of contact, quickly covering the entire surface. As the calming inferno continued to propagate, it appeared to wash through the very body of the train itself. The red tint to the lights faded back to their normal white and the temperature began to rise. The conductor's eyes changed back to normal as he drifted back to unconsciousness.

Sailors Moon and Mercury stood in wonderment as the scene unfolded in front of them. Luna beamed. "Excellent work, Sailor Mars!" She turned to Sailor Mercury. "Can you take a look inside the control panel and see what's going on in there?"

Mercury nodded. "I'll do what I can." As she moved to remove one of the lower panels, Sailor Moon walked over to Sailor Mars' side.

"Hey…you just kicked evil butt! So…welcome to the team?"

Mars looked Sailor Moon up and down, then examined herself in the dim reflection of the windshield. "I guess I don't have much of a choice here." She looked back and forth between the Champion of Justice and Luna. "Again, I'm assuming that one of you will tell me some of the specifics pretty soon?"

Sailor Moon rolled her eyes. "If you have any better luck with Luna than I do, let me know."

Luna hopped over Mercury's outstretched legs and looked up to the two warriors. "Just like these other two, you have a duty to protect this planet. You're now a part of a growing team being brought together to battle this oncoming evil. It's no coincidence that you've felt its presence. You've been ready to fight and didn't even know it!"

"Makes sense," Mars responded. She looked down at Mercury still working, then turned a curious look to Sailor Moon. "So, do you do anything?"

An indignant expression came to Sailor Moon's face. But before she could respond, Sailor Mercury popped up from her position. "Ok, I've got something that we can investigate later. Right now, we have to get this train moving. Pheta's power surge disrupted the central connection." She looked at her three companions. Their stares offered no solutions. "Alright, then we'll have to-"

Just at that moment, the train began to regain its forward momentum.

"Galing?" Moon asked.

"Not me. They must have seen the break in communication and sent someone into the tunnel to manually fix the connection."

"Ladies," Luna began, "I think that now would be a good time to revert to your civilian selves and hide."

Sailor Mars examined herself. "Uhh…I'm still not sure how I got this on!"

While Sailor Mercury explained some things to Sailor Mars, Usagi's attention returned to all of the people. They were still out cold. That extra burst of evil energy almost took her out, so it wasn't shocking that it had a devastating effect on the general public. The senshi could feel tears pushing towards her eyes. She couldn't stand to see all of these people suffer. She clasped her hands together and brought them to her forehead in frustration. She desperately wished that there was some way that she could help them…to revive everyone on the train…

All at once, Sailor Moon's attention shifted to her own body. Her hands began to feel very…hot. She opened her eyes…and thought that she saw the slightest pink-ish glow coming from the space between her palms. Puzzled, she began to open her hands…

"Hey! They did send somebody down!" Mercury exclaimed. Sailor Moon, broken from her trance, wheeled around to see what the others were looking at. As she moved closer to the windshield, she could make out a figure in the distance standing near some kind of electrical panel. But…something seemed strange.

"That's the fanciest dressed subway worker that I've ever seen," Mars proclaimed.

As the train approached the solitary person, Sailor Moon's eyes grew wider, her mouth more agape. The well-dressed masked man tipped his top hat to the crew as they passed.

The train finally pulled into Ichigaya Station, with medics and police already on the scene. As soon as the doors opened, first responders zoomed in, getting an assessment of the situation. Some of the people were finally beginning to recover. One officer opened the door to the conductor room. Next to the conductor, he saw a blonde, a foreigner, and a miko who appeared to just be waking up themselves.

* * *

"Kapi?"

"No!"

"Kan…ni?"

"NO!" The Sioux shrine maiden shot an exasperated look at Usagi as Luna and Galing looked on helplessly while sitting on the temple steps. "What is wrong with 'Pheta'?"

Usagi pouted. "'Wicapiwakan' is such a cute name, but it's so long! 'Pheta' is just not as cute." She brightened. "You deserve a cool nickname!"

Wicapiwakan wanted to mention that neither Luna nor Galing had cool nicknames. Instead, she decided that capitulation may be the best option over a fairly trivial matter. "Some of the girls that I went to school with would call me 'Wiki' since they said I was a 'know-it-all'. Is that acceptable?"

As Usagi pondered the offer, Galing asked a question. "Pheta, how are you feeling after everything today?"

The miko paused…then smiled. "I actually feel really good! It's like the things that used to torture me as a kid came back to give me strength today." She nodded solemnly. "I have a purpose, and being a senshi is part of it!"

"Wonderful to hear!" Luna exclaimed. "I'm sure that there will be many more adventures to come!"

A loud finger-snap. "Wika!" the blonde-haired waitress yelled. Wicapiwakan turned an incredulous look to Usagi, whose face contorted to hopeful nervousness. The raven-haired beauty turned away from her. "You're gonna be one of those friends who makes me laugh even when I don't want to."

Luna smirked. "That's her specialty!"

Wika shook her head. "I'm gonna hate you so much." She turned back to Usagi, who now had a crestfallen look on her face. Wika used those violet-lavender eyes to stare down her new friend…

…and stuck out her tongue.

* * *

Walking quickly through the subway side entrance and past the nighttime security guard, a slender figure in a business suit got into the elevator and rode to the 13th floor of the Meiohzu-Minami building. The luggage in his possession still had the "CLE" tags on it from his initial trip home. He left there in such a harried state that he never got around to removing them. Upon exiting and reaching the large oak double doors at Z.O.I. Cyber, the man swiftly entered the dynamic, 25-digit code and walked in. After entering the interior office and locking the door behind him, he moved around the huge mahogany desk, settling into a large plush leather chair.

He pressed hidden buttons under his desk. Two panels slid open and 4K monitors rose through the openings. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his left leg over his right at the knees. After a few moments, an image flickered into view on one of the monitors: a young, cherubic man, dark-skinned, with a tidy mop of blonde hair.

"Thanks for showing up," the meeting's initiator said through the monitors' microphone. "But we appear to be one short."

"We are not short," came a quick reply from the blank monitor. "I'm just a little busy at the moment. Wasn't expecting you to escape the 9th circle of Hell so soon."

The host ran his hand over his blonde-dyed fauxhawk and down the long corresponding rat-to-pony-tail. His hometown was the butt of many jokes. He had learned to live with it. "Anyway, on to business. Back in the USA, everything with Redline is good. We've set up the second international hub and energy is flowing from all over the globe, minus Japan. We did turn the aggressiveness of both the energy collection and the app itself down, so it's not as efficient, but not likely to be uninstalled en masse."

The baby of the group nodded. "Good news." A muffled, high-pitched giggle came from the audio-only monitor.

"What was…?" the Z.O.I. Cyber C.E.O. started.

"Don't worry about that. Please, continue."

Clearly disgusted, the tech mogul continued in his slightly effeminate voice. "As for the bad news that brought me back, our efforts with the subway systems have been thwarted by those identified as 'guardians.' Despite the defeat, we were able to get some interesting data from this latest encounter."

"Losers gather data when they get their ass kicked," the hidden member taunted. "Winners make endorsement deals and continue the mission without failure." This comment was punctuated by more muffled laughter and what sounded like, "Bless his heart!"

"If there's anything else that I can do, please let me know!" the man on video offered.

"You're doing enough already, _moreño_ ," the businessman answered.

"Maybe. But I already had a hiccup with the dresses. We need to overcome these attacks! We don't want…" The youth looked uncomfortable. "We don't want her coming to us angry!"

"Don't worry about that," the C.E.O. responded while waving his hand. "She's working on other things."

"Has she found our brother?" The abruptness and uncharacteristic urgency of the question stunned both the young blonde and the tech mogul. It wasn't often that their comrade expressed such concern. But this was not a typical situation.

"I don't think she's worrying about him right now. All of these attacks on our plans and all of them focused in Tokyo have convinced her that Imperium is here."

" _Nijamavaa?!_ " the young man asked.

" _Bozhe moi_." the off-camera partner whispered simultaneously.

"In light of that revelation," the host continued, "we will keep with our current plans. She'll update us when the time comes."

" _Beeilen!_ " came a bright female voice.

Another voice chimed in: "Y'all better hurry up and finish, or we're gonna cut all of this long, brown hair off and see if it takes your strength, Mr. Fitness!"

With the C.E.O.'s light-brown face shading red and the young man on camera chuckling behind his hand, the third man bid them adieu. "As I said…I'm a little busy at the moment. _Do svidaniya_." The audio clicked off.

While the host massaged his temples, the blonde asked, with his Tamil accent, "What do we need to change about our approach in Tokyo?"

"Let's test a concealed energy drain, but turn up the aggression in our defense. It's obvious that any new plan will be sure to draw the guardians out. Changing some parameters will give us a chance to study them more." He wagged his finger in the manner of a teacher. "Remember, kid: 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.' Besides, we still have your special amulets and prayer cards ready to go. We're good."

"Alright," came the reply. "Let me know if anything changes." The video feed clicked off.

The C.E.O. returned to his relaxed position. He didn't like being beaten by these guardians (or by his meathead counterpart), but there was certainly something to learn from what was happening. These women, somehow "protected" by the planets, knew how to identify, locate, and dismantle their operations. The most important thing to figure out was how they were able to do so. A small sacrifice would be acceptable if it led to the final victory for their Great Ruler.

He mentally recalled the secretly taped footage that he had seen. (Ever since commandeering the footage from Osa-P incident, he had initiated the hidden camera project.) These girls were good…if occasionally lucky. They knew how to wield their weapons very well and they never quit. Especially the blonde with the ponytails! Additionally, the new one in red seemed to have an even more mysterious power. She was worth watching as well.

But still…

He placed his right index finger on his lower lip in a playful manner.

…there was just something about that one in the blue…

* * *

 **Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:**

 _There are three of us now! And I think that we'll need every one of us! Whoever is behind these attacks just won't let up! Putting an entire neighborhood to sleep? What's wrong with them? It'll take an entire team effort to win…and…is there something else that I can use? Find out when I do next time with " **Enter Sandman**!" See ya!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	15. Act VI: Enter Sandman - Part 1

[ **Happy Birthday (6 Jan) to Hotaru Tomoe...and to me!** We've had a little redesign here. Take a look at some of the previous chapters to see!]

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wika::Rei; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act VI: Enter Sandman**

 _I love a good nap! Especially in the middle of the day! But this is ridiculous! After an interesting lunch, Wika and I discover something very, very important. But before I can find out more about it, our enemies strike again! How can we win when the weapon used is sleep? It's gonna take all of us, including Luna and Tuxedo Mask (wait…what does he know about me?), to solve this problem! Get ready enemies! In the name of the Moon, we will ALL punish you!_

 **Part 1**

Usagi walked into the building feeling miserable. It wasn't officially rainy season yet, but today's weather didn't get the memo. Showers had been on-and-off all day and, naturally, the spigots were full force as she made her trek from work. (Not to mention that long ponytails do pretty badly in wet weather.)

Removing her dripping jacket at the door, she checked her phone for the confirmation text. "33," it read. Moving past the waiting area and around the staff and other patrons, she finally saw her destination: the table with that corresponding number…and the smiling face of her lunchtime companion.

"That rain hold you up a bit?" the perfectly coiffed Nigerian asked.

"I know that I'm late!" Usagi huffed. Then she calmed. "I'm sorry."

"No problem. Relax. I'm on your time." He gestured towards his left. "I'm sure that you know what to do."

The waitress on lunch break sat down opposite of her company and looked to her right. Dish after dish of fresh-cut sushi and assorted extras moved past her on the conveyer belt. "Well, this is a classy place!"

Unaffected by the comment, Olugbeja responded: "Something about you tells me that you skew closer to 'all-you-can-eat' than fancy, stuffy places."

Still looking at the food, Usagi tried to prevent herself from indicating that he was indeed correct (in fact, she came here a lot). She was also feeling a bit bashful at the moment. Two nights ago, she decided to give him a text. After 30 minutes of back-and-forth, they had elected to meet here for lunch. Usagi still wasn't completely sure why she agreed to come today. Well…he _was_ cute…but still! Their interactions had always been…strange. Maybe that's why she agreed to.

Carefully, she cast her gaze towards him. He was staring right at her with that little smirk on his face. Usagi blushed and looked away again. Olugbeja smiled broadly and reached for some passing albacore and edamame. "Tell me about yourself, Usagi."

Usagi turned back to him and centered herself. "Well, my dad works as a photographer for a newspaper. My mom stays at home. But now that the house is empty, she might want to find something to do. Raising two kids didn't leave her much time to follow her own interests."

"Ah! You have a sibling? Cool older sister? Precious little brother?"

"'Precious?!' Shingo?" Usagi exclaimed loud enough to turn a few heads. "You mean 'little brat who never listened to his big sister!'"

The assistant diplomat chuckled under his breath. "Sisterly love."

"Anyway," Usagi continued, "I also have my best friend Naru, who you have already met. She works as an accountant."

"And you work as a waitress?" Olugbeja asked, examining her uniform.

"By day," Usagi answered.

"And…by night?" Olugbeja asked wryly while using his teeth to pop a soybean out.

Usagi froze. For a horrible instant she began to think, "what if he knows who I am? No, no…how could he? It's…oh. Yeah."

"At night I work at a bar in Roppongi."

"Sounds like a fun nighttime job. Adventurous." He dipped his sushi into a plate of soy sauce. "Anything new and interesting in your life?"

She shrugged, thankful for the softball. "Well I've made a couple of really good new friends lately. One from Australia," she narrowed her eyes, "again, who you already met." She reverted to normal. "And a new girl here from the USA. They're really awesome and really gifted. I've been having a lot of fun with them!"

The young man nodded. "Your family and friends are very important to you. I can tell that you have a big heart."

Usagi gave a Galing-styled smile. She continued, talking about Mama Ikuko, Papa Kenji, and Shingo. Ready to turn the tables (and eat), Usagi asked Olugbeja, "so, what do you like about Japan so far?"

"Ah," Olugbeja started as Usagi punched her order(s) into the console, "the language, the architecture, how the blend of the traditional and the modern world are always on display." He leaned back in the booth. "It reminds me so much of home, yet it's so different."

"Nice," Usagi answered, helping herself to some squid before her order wheeled out. "What about your parents?"

"Deceased."

Usagi's demeanor changed. "I'm so sorry."

Olugbeja nodded once. "Don't worry about it. I had a great community to raise me. I'm blessed to be able to say that I have an extensive, supportive family. They all helped me to get where I am today."

Usagi listened raptly (well, as raptly as possible while downing her lunch) as Olugbeja told her abridged stories about his diplomatic interactions, interesting ceremonies, and phenomenal people. Putting his wordsmith ability to excellent use in painting the descriptions, he was also putting forth a chivalrous foot, allowing Usagi time to eat.

After telling all of his stories for the moment, Usagi had to admit that he'd indeed led a positive and interesting life since he had arrived in country. But things couldn't be ALL good, right? She had one additional follow up question: "So, is there _anything_ here that you're frustrated with?"

The African turned his eyes upward. "There _is_ something that I've been looking for…something that I've been unable to find. It has great importance to me." He again looked to Usagi. "One special treasure."

Usagi slowed her chewing. There was something very familiar about that line… "What is it?" she inquired.

Olugbeja gave that mischievous smirk. "Do you read that new website, 'The Negaverse?'"

Usagi held back a shudder. Umino's influence was growing! "Yeah…I'm familiar with it."

"Check it around 5:00 tonight. I've…" He paused. "…leaked…some information to them. We'll see where it goes."

This got Usagi curious. Despite her annoyances with her old friend, he had organized a dedicated and capable cadre of reporters. They had a photographer on hand as soon as the train arrived at Ichigaya during the last demon train attack. She was glad that they found a way to hide Luna in Wika's robes!

Usagi's wandering mind led her to her cell phone…which informed her that her lack of punctuality was about to bite her again. "Oh, crap! I have to go!" She began to dig into her purse for yen.

Olugbeja placed his hand on hers, grasping it ever so slightly. Usagi felt a delicate rush through her body. "I've got you covered today." He rose from his position, picked up her jacket, and helped her put it on. "Oh!" he blurted. "There is one other thing that I really like about being here…the mysterious sailor-suited crusader!" Usagi felt her throat dry up. "She seems quite magnificent. She was probably the one that saved the train."

Swiftly and smoothly, Olugbeja took his right hand across Usagi's body to her left shoulder. With a confidently gentle pull, he turned Usagi 180° towards himself, sliding his index finger under her chin and holding it in place with his thumb. His deep brown eyes penetrated straight into her blues. "What do you think?"

Usagi's mind was jolted: _That touch…that spin…that look…I know…I know this… Where? When? What is trying to break through?_

Lip quivering, a small sound escaped her vocal cords: "…ma…"

The rascally young man chuckled. "I'm not your mother, my dear." Lovingly, he released her face and took a step back. "I don't want you to be any later for work. You'd better get going!"

"Y-y-yeah," Usagi stuttered as she started towards the door. She turned back and forced a little smile. "Goodbye."

Olugbeja smiled broadly. "Goodbye," he responded. Both of their parting words were in Yoruba.

Stepping back outside, starting her trip back to Hibiya Station, Usagi didn't even notice that the rain had stopped. Her mind was in complete turmoil! That touch, that look, that treasure…that entire conversation…something deeper was there! This was way more than a cute guy making her blush a little bit. She felt…like he was…like he was…something other than a random guy that she met on accident! But, no matter how hard she tried…she couldn't make any sense of it. Placing a weary hand on the metro card charging station, she turned her face to the sky:

"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!"

* * *

"And after embarrassing yourself in front of dozens of fellow Hibiya Line riders, what did you do?" Wika smirked at Usagi as the blonde turned an annoyed stare in her direction.

"And you said that _you'd_ hate _me_ as a friend?"

The miko leaned on her straw broom. "C'mon…you were _clearly_ impressed by his stories, his demeanor, his gentle manliness…and you tried to deny it? You're not a good liar!" She shrugged her shoulders. "But, if you're really not interested in Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome, just let me know! I'll take him off of your hands!"

"What?!" Usagi screeched. "I thought that you had sworn off of dating!"

Wika laughed heartily. "Oh, lighten up! Does anybody give you a hard time?" She gave Usagi a mocking look. "Of all of the people that I've met here that take themselves too seriously, _you_ are the last one that I'd expect to not be able to laugh at themselves!"

Usagi sighed. "It wasn't even so much about him! It was the whole sensation…his words…his touch… It was just such a _weird_ feeling! I don't know what to make of it!"

The shrine maiden looked at her new friend. It was obvious that she was still bothered by the events of the day. "Look, Usagi, I understand completely. I'm still coming off of the demon train thing. Kinda hard to forget when an evil entity is speaking to you, trying to take what it wants from you." She shook herself. "Still gives me chills."

Usagi agreed. "Yeah. Imagine if you had to go through the ordeal with the Ghost Brides! If you thought mannequins were creepy before!"

That comment jogged Wika's memory. "Speaking of that, Luna said that she was able to cross-reference that train part that Galing found with both the dress designer and this Z.O.I. company. They all have something in common: The Jade House."

Usagi looked up. "'Jade House?' What's that?"

"I'm not quite sure. The little bit of research spoke of a rogue Murugan temple in India. Small and controversial. But it's really mysterious and hard to get info on." She locked eyes with Usagi. "The big thing is that through those cross-references, they saw that a radio antenna had recently been sent to somewhere in Minato Ward. Information was buried too deep to follow after that, so just be alert. There's no telling what's coming next!"

Usagi gave Wika a silly look. "Well, there is a Shinto fire-reader around here who can see things coming…right?"

Wika returned the look. "First, fire reading isn't a part of Shinto. The fire just helps me focus. Always has. Second, I was in front of my fire for two hours trying to get some clarity, but I didn't get a lot."

Usagi cocked an eyebrow. "So, what did you see?"

Wika's gaze lost focus. "I saw fire and ice, in opposition…and in cooperation. And bright, idealistic eyes…but they were clouded over with something…sinister." She shook her head. "That's about it."

Usagi got a little lost in thought herself. Galing had a vision at the Z.O.I. Cyber door and now this. Not to mention everything that she herself had been feeling. She swallowed hard. All of them had something mysterious going on in their lives! What was the real cause?

At that moment, Usagi's phone rang loudly with a piercing tone. Frantically, she pulled it from her handbag, dropped it, recovered it, then terminated the alarm.

The raven-haired beauty stood amused. "You just don't stop, do you?"

Usagi rolled her eyes at her new partner, then turned to her phone. Pulling up The Negaverse, she immediately saw the blaring headline. She spoke it out loud: "What is 'Imperium?'" As the word flowed from her lips, time seemed to slow down. "Imperium," she repeated. "What is Imperium?" From the deep alcoves of her mind, a phrase began to materialize and surface. She let the words move by themselves:

"…the Legendary-"

"…Silver Crystal."

Usagi's head snapped to Wika: the shrine maiden had finished the sentence.

"Whoa," they replied in unison.

Usagi held her head between her palms. "This is too weird! I can look at you and tell that you've never heard that word before! And then we both-"

Wika, feeling the discomfort as well, held up her hand, "No, I totally get it!"

Flustered, Usagi sighed angrily. "I've got to find Luna! We need to talk… _now_!" She looked back to Wika. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"Don't threaten me," the young Sioux deadpanned. She smiled at Usagi's incredulous look. Shaking her head, the owner of the ponytails turned to depart.

"Hey…"

Usagi stopped and turned back. Wika's face was earnest and concerned.

"…be safe. Ok?"

Looking into Wika's violet-lavender eyes, Usagi nodded with a slight smile before heading back to the metro station.

* * *

Wicapiwakan had finished her duties for the day and was enjoying a bowl of spicy udon. The day must have been rougher on her than she thought because she had been feeling a bit uneasy for the past 15 minutes or so. Suddenly, her phone chirped loudly. Startled, Wika picked it up and saw that there was an emergency alert waiting to be read. Once she opened it and began to read, the description of the situation seemed too wild to be believed (if not for her most recent adventures). The miko scurried over to her laptop and pulled up a streaming news site. The headline confirmed the alert: an unexplained "sleeping sickness" was affecting a large part of Minato ward, spreading from just shy of Minami-Azabu (Sendaizaka's neighborhood) and Shiba all the way to the southern parts of Roppongi and Atago. Her heart sank as she heard that the epicenter of the phenomenon seemed to be Azabu-Juban station! The police had begun to cordon off the affected neighborhoods, but at this time, no one was able to enter without succumbing to the illness. The only "positives" were that the strength of the drowsiness decreased the further away from Azabu-Juban station people were, and that it took some time for the tiredness to fully kick in. Therefore, some of the would-be rescuers had time and energy to reverse course and escape.

Wika saw the map on the news report. Sure enough, she was just outside of the outer ring of the affected area. But even so, why was she not fully sensing the evil? On the demon train, it was like a klaxon. Now, it was vague, subtle…almost indiscernible.

Knowing what she had learned and been through in the past few days, Wika knew that she had to act. First and foremost, she took her phone and called Usagi. The fact that the center of this happening was directly over Usagi's home train station made her very nervous. The call went straight to voicemail, so Wika quickly hung up and sent a message, telling Usagi to check in. She also sent a text to Galing to make sure that she was aware of the situation. Rapidly, she found a change of clothes and re-dressed. It would be a lot easier to sneak past any police cordons if she were not in her miko robes. As she changed and got ready to head out, she couldn't help but wonder: "What am I getting into?"

* * *

Usagi, unable to find Luna, was wandering the streets back towards her apartment when the feeling struck. She hadn't felt this overwhelming of a sensation to sleep since stumbling on that boring "Midnight Zero" show (or was it "Loveline"?) on the radio. This feeling could not have been due to the extra helping of pork buns that she had 30 minutes ago. This felt…unnatural. She gasped. A familiar kind of unnatural! With her eyes beginning to lose focus, she scanned the street. Other people were also stumbling about, trying to walk. Some were failing and hitting the pavement. Usagi took out her phone…and was greeted with a "No Signal" message. Exhausted, she slid in-between two buildings and tried to reach for her brooch. But she just…couldn't…pull it out…before…

Her petite body fell towards the ground. Inches from crashing into the wet pavement, a gloved hand caught her head, while another caught her by the small of the back. Usagi managed to fight the oppressive lethargy for one more instant and opened her eyes just enough to make out a recognizable, full-face mask…and a top hat.

* * *

Wika quivered as she made her way through the damp streets of Azabu-Juban. Sneaking closer was pretty easy since the temple was already inside of the cordon and frantic people escaping weren't paying too much attention to anything else. All was creepy quiet, except for the occasional snorer that she walked by, passed out on the street. Fortunately, as she anticipated, she wasn't feeling the least bit drowsy. Similar to the demon train event, she must have possessed some level of immunity to the effects. While she was unable to fully feel the evil entity earlier, she could clearly feel it surrounding every unconscious person that she encountered. Her agitation was also building as she approached the train station. She knew that she could follow that feeling all the way to the source.

While cell service was interrupted (naturally!), she was able to pick up bits of news from the escaping people and police that she could hear as she was avoiding them: traffic was backed up for miles as the major highway junction near the train station was packed with abandoned cars and sleeping motorists. All train services approaching the ward had grind to a halt. Even the Tokyo Tower had been evacuated! The shrine maiden was amazed at the entity's work. Had its loss at the hands of her and her new friends led it to such desperation and brazenness?

As she continued walking, now eastward just past the entrance to Azabu-Juban station, her hair practically began to stand on end as a familiar chill overtook her. Heart racing, the Sioux turned her eyes towards a building under construction. Behind it stood a cell phone tower. Attached to that tower, near the top, was a strange looking device. Wika didn't know much about towers and antennas, but that thing had evil energy leaping off of it!

Wika scurried back around the previous building and took out her pin. She really, really wished that either Usagi or Galing – actually, both…both would be good – were here to help, but at this point, she had no choice but to go in alone. After all, she had proven to be largely immune from this entity's attacks. She was the best person for this job.

Wicapiwakan held her pin to the sky…

"Mars power…Make…UP!"

* * *

The masked man quickly scanned his location. Luckily for him, Tokyo had an abundance of vending machines stuffed into every nook and cranny. With Usagi still in his arms, he moved to the nearest one, pulled out his metro card to pay, and selected an ice-cold water. He collected the bottle, opened it…

…and sprayed to contents directly onto Usagi's face.

Sputtering, coughing, and flailing, Usagi jumped out of the man's arms and faced him angrily.

"What was that for?!"

"To free you from the sleeping spell," his baritone rang out. "Unless you want to take a nap in the alley."

In an instant, it all came together for Usagi: the evil was back, and it was causing people (including her) to fall asleep uncontrollably. Of course, this meant that they were after more energy! And, as usual, Tuxedo Mask was here to…

Usagi swallowed hard.

…why was Tuxedo Mask here for… _Usagi Tsukino_?

"Umm…th-thanks…?" the young woman finally spit out, completely unsure of how to handle this situation. Silently, she took a look at her alter ego's mysterious hero. It was a fantastic tuxedo: flawless and classic from the shoes to the top hat. The rose on the lapel and the pocket watch dangling from the waistcoat were nice accents. Her eyes stopped and lingered on the mask covering his entire face. She had always wondered what those tribal-like patterns were…and what that little red jewel under the eye signified. But their interactions when she was Sailor Moon were always so brief. She never had time to do much more than thank him, if even that! Now, here he was…but…Sailor Moon wasn't. She couldn't be. She had to keep the secret.

"The sleepiness is sure to return the longer you wait," Tuxedo Mask said in response to her hesitation. "You'll need to get moving, Usagi."

"Ok. Thanks," Usagi mindlessly replied. Then she snapped to attention. "Wait! How do you know my name?"

He playfully leaned on his cane and cocked his head to the side. "I was impressed that you were able to eat more sausages in 15 minutes than the German guy who challenged you."

"Great", Usagi thought to herself, "Tuxedo Mask could be one of those guys trying to get my number at the bar!"

From the distance, a faint rumble cut through the silence. Usagi turned her head towards it. "Was that an explosion?"

"I'm not sure," the masked man replied. "But I definitely heard something."

The pair quieted, listening for a repeat. Sure enough, it came within a few seconds, this time accompanied by what sounded like a faint scream. A horrible thought flashed through Usagi's mind. Intuitively, her body began to run in that direction. Tuxedo Mask followed.

As the pair ran past the southern entrances to Azabu-Juban station and turned at the main corner, they came face-to-face with a sooty haze. The dust floated immediately in front of a building under construction. As the haze slowly cleared, Usagi and Tuxedo Mask could make out some features: portions of the street appeared to be damaged, as if sticks of dynamite had been ignited on the ground. In the midst of the muddy carnage, a body was lying face-down on the asphalt. Usagi's eyes started to overflow as further clearing of the dust revealed that the person in the street was wearing a red-and-purple accented sailor fuku. Without hesitation, Usagi took off on a beeline towards the downed Sailor Mars.

The Senshi of Passion struggled but pushed her chest and torso off of the ground at the sound of approaching footsteps. The right shoulder of her fuku displayed a burned area with frayed fabric. She looked up and saw the figure running towards her. "Stay back!" she shouted.

The untransformed warrior did not heed the warning and kept running. In her peripheral vision, she saw a bright red flash. Before she could even turn her gaze to get a better look, she found herself in the arms of Tuxedo Mask, being carried at high speed off of the battlefield. When she looked back to where the flash came from, she saw a bolt of red lightning bearing down on her and her rescuer. Usagi screamed as the masked man sprung out of the way just in time to avoid the strike. The ground was incinerated at the point of contact.

Upon exiting Tuxedo Mask's arms, Usagi immediately reached into her pocket…but froze, even as her breathing rate approached hyperventilation. She _had_ to transform! Wika was in danger! But…Tuxedo Mask was right here! (And, at the very least, he knew her first name and where she worked.) She _couldn't_ transform in front of him! But…she didn't have a choice…did she? And did Wika have time for her to weigh her options? No, but…

"Now might be a good time to transform…"

Forget "skip a beat". Usagi thought her heart had actually stopped. Slowly, she turned a terrified glance to her masked companion, whose gaze was still towards the street. He finished his statement with two words of confirmation:

"…Sailor Moon."

Usagi couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was completely alarmed with the current turn of events. This man, whom she didn't know much about, knew her most important secret! But as much as she wanted to ponder on her panicked state, Wika was in dire need of help. Swallowing hard, and with a cautious eye on Tuxedo Mask, she produced her brooch and held it to the dreary sky.

"Moon Prism power…Make…UP!"

* * *

 _Don't hang your cape up yet! The Radiant Sailor Moon will return shortly!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	16. Act VI: Enter Sandman - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act VI: Enter Sandman**

 _Hey! Welcome back! Get ready for more of The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2**

Tuxedo Mask watched the localized light show in fascination. With only five spoken words, the young woman in front of him had suddenly bathed herself in glorious radiance. Though he couldn't see what was going on in those few moments, he felt honored to be in the presence of this event. As the sparkles dissipated, he saw that the apron, white shoes, and polo shirt of the waitress had changed into the red boots, skirt, and scarf of the Champion of Justice.

She wasted no time getting into the act. "We need to get Sailor Mars out of there now!" She looked at the masked man. "Do you think that you can recover her if I draw the fire away from you?"

He thought for a moment. "That's dangerous. What's your strategy to keep from getting hit?"

"Duh!" she replied. "Keep moving!"

Tuxedo Mask chuckled lightly. "I guess that is an improvement over the last time we spoke of strategy!" He straightened his lapel and stood to his full height. "Ready when you are."

Sailor Moon peeked out from behind the building and surveyed the battle zone. She figured that the best way to move would be to basically play non-stop hopscotch, all the time staying between the source of the attack on the cell tower and Sailor Mars. And, with how quickly Tuxedo Mask appeared to move, she should only have to hold the attack off for about ten seconds.

Plan in her head, Sailor Moon signaled: "Ok…GO!"

Sailor Moon leapt in front of the building. Sure enough, a lightning attack came right at her. She leapt again, making sure that the target she was creating was keeping Tuxedo Mask clear to recover Sailor Mars. As soon as she landed, another shot came, landing milliseconds after she had bounced. "Crap!" she thought to herself in a split second, "if I land wrong once, I'm toast!"

Meanwhile, with the fight focused on Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask was indeed able to run in and grab Sailor Mars. He picked her up off of the ground, cradling her in his arms. Mars shook off the pain and looked up at the mysterious warrior. "Umm…hi."

Tuxedo Mask swiftly moved her to safety, placing her gently on the ground. "We'll have time for a more formal introduction later." He turned his attention back to Sailor Moon. "Sailor Mars is safe!"

Upon hearing that message, Sailor Moon changed direction, leaping back towards the safety of the building. On her penultimate leap, the lightning attack did not aim at her body. Instead, it aimed at the spot where she planned to land. Sailor Moon saw the strike, but couldn't change her trajectory in midair. She landed awkwardly in the rubble, tripping and falling in the street. Trying to recover quickly, she rolled over and looked up at the cell tower. For a fraction of a second, she could see the device where the attack was coming from: it was a strange black boxy-looking thing, with a long antenna sticking out of the top. While it stood out once she was aware of it, it was obvious that most people wouldn't think anything of it.

The red glow brightened. Sailor Moon's muscles tensed as she anticipated her next move. She saw the bolt form…but it wasn't directed towards her. She followed the electricity with her eyes and saw three small explosions. Suddenly, Tuxedo Mask landed directly in front of her, his hand full of roses.

"Get back to Sailor Mars. I'll cover you."

Without another word, he jumped towards the tower, unleashing a barrage of roses. Once again, the lightning shot out, vaporizing the flowers. However, it did give enough time for Sailor Moon to exit the danger area. Tuxedo Mask, displaying his impressive athleticism, was not far behind.

As Sailor Moon cradled Sailor Mars' face in her hands, a warm sensation flowed over her, eliminating the lingering drowsiness. "Are you ok?" she demanded.

"Well, I can say that I learned a lesson," Mars began. "Don't bring an ofuda to a lightning fight." With pain and effort, but under her own power, she stood up. Sailor Moon looked over the figure of the Senshi of Passion. While she was not a large girl, her size 12 frame filled out her fuku in a way that Moon and Mercury's sizes 4 and 6 respectively couldn't match. Mars continued: "Are you ok? How did you survive the sleeping sickness?"

Sailor Moon gave Tuxedo Mask a side-eye. "Not in the most pleasant way."

"But effective, nonetheless," the masked man retorted. He pitched a rose towards the street. An intense bolt crackled and destroyed it. "Right now, we are pinned down until we come up with a way to demolish that device." He turned to the ladies. "Any ideas?"

Mars scoffed. "I'm 0-for-1." She looked over to Sailor Moon. "So, what've you got?"

"The same thing that you have: a friend!"

The trio turned and looked behind them. Coming up the sidewalk was a small black cat and a blue-suited senshi. Both were yawning profusely.

"Sailor Mars," Mercury wearily began, "you wouldn't happen to have that touch of protection again, would you?"

As Sailor Mars rushed over to the latecomers and lent them her power, Sailor Moon asked, "How did you know that we were here?"

"To tell you the truth, we didn't," Luna answered. "But once we learned that Azabu-Juban was the center of activity, we came as quickly as we could to check things out."

"But it's great that we found you," Sailor Mercury added. "I don't know if we'd have been able to get all the way back out without succumbing."

Sailor Moon beamed. "I'm _really_ happy to see you here! This has been an insane day!"

"An insane day?" Luna inquired. "Would this include insanity during your lunch break?"

The senshi of the twin ponytails harrumphed. "You tell me, little stalker!"

Mercury interrupted the moment of bonding. "So, what are we dealing with?"

"There's a device on the cell tower behind the construction site next to this building," Mars answered. "It's producing the sickness and draining energy. But it's being protected by bolts of red energy." She rubbed her shoulder. "My power wasn't any defense against it."

Sailor Mercury thought about her encounters. "I don't think that mine will work any better."

Exasperated, Sailor Moon turned to her fellow warriors. "C'mon, guys! We have to think of something! Use your heads!"

Mercury looked at Sailor Moon curiously. "No…you use _your_ head!" Moon returned the look before Mercury shifted her gaze to Sailor Moon's forehead.

The Champion of Justice finally caught on. "Oh! My tiara throw!" She furrowed her brow. "Do you think it'll work? That thing blew up Tuxedo Mask's roses."

"And maybe we can use that to your advantage." All of the females present looked over to Tuxedo Mask who was still looking out into the street. In his hand he had a fist full of roses. "Let me go out first and draw the fire. Once it's focused on me, send your attack. You'll have to be quick."

Sailor Mars gave the man a suspicious look. "Hey, I never thanked you for getting me outta there…but who the hell are you?"

"And why are you helping us?" Mercury added.

The masked man kept his stance. "All of these people sleeping under the influence of an evil force. I know what that's like. Dreams of war…dreams of lies."

That answer was good enough for Sailor Moon. She walked towards Tuxedo Mask and removed her tiara.

"Sailor Moon, be careful!" Luna commanded, only partially in response to the danger presented by the evil entity.

Staying parallel to the building that they were hiding behind, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask slowly and carefully crept out onto the sidewalk and into the street. Both of them already had their weapons in position, ready to fire. Sailors Mercury and Mars, along with Luna, cautiously peered out from behind the building.

"Prepare yourself," the masked man ordered to his companion. Before receiving any confirmation, he sprinted into the battle zone, hurling rose after rose at his target. Each one was met with a short blast from the black device.

Nervous but hopeful, Sailor Moon took her cue: "Moon Tiara Boomerang!" The projectile flew from the senshi's hand, straight and true towards its target. However, after zapping roses out of the sky, the device fired a strong blast towards the tiara. The clash of energy lasted for a couple of seconds, but in the end, the Moon Tiara lost its glow and came tumbling towards the ground.

Seeing the failed attack, Sailor Moon took a step towards her falling weapon. Not a moment later, a blast from the tower struck the ground right in front of her feet, throwing her back.

"Sailor Moon!" Luna cried.

The Champion of Justice looked up at the tower, knowing that she was a sitting duck even in that short moment. She saw a red flicker from the device…

"Mercury Aqua Mist!"

Instantly, the street was covered with a dense, shallow fog. Sailor Moon could still make out her falling tiara…and a quick moving figure that appeared to intercept it as a bolt shot out. She rolled out of harm's way, careful to not raise herself above the fog. Once she was a safe distance away, she quickly moved back over to the group. Tuxedo Mask (with a little flair from his cape) revealed her tiara.

"If you can put a little more power behind it, it just might work," he said.

Luna, trying not to show that she was actually kind of impressed with Tuxedo Mask's smooth recovery of Sailor Moon's property, turned her attention to the third senshi. "Sailor Mars, how's your aim?"

Mars look confused. "Deadshot with a bow and arrow. But how is that gonna help right now?"

"You have power that can help Sailor Moon right now."

Mars tried to protest. "But I already-"

Luna shook her head. "Relax," she said in a soothing tone. "Let it flow through you. You know what to do."

"Hey Mercury," Sailor Moon called, "when I was on the ground, that thing didn't shoot at me. I think that we can hide from it in your mist. Can you make it…I don't know…taller?"

"I can lift the fog high enough to conceal you both," Sailor Mercury said.

Luna smiled at the Senshi of Intelligence. Her face became a bit uneasy as she turned to Tuxedo Mask.

"Calm yourself, Luna," he replied with confidence. "I know what my job is." He looked to Sailor Moon. "Let's try this again."

With a newfound smile, Sailor Moon turned her gaze from the young man to her fellow senshi and mentor. She added to Tuxedo Mask's statement: "As a team." Her companions all nodded in response.

Sailor Mercury closed her eyes, concentrated, and unleashed another blast of Aqua Mist to raise the fog level to just under two meters. Mars and Moon moved stealthily into the obscuration. Though they were covered, they could still see out of the top of the layer. Tuxedo Mask remained on the sidelines. "Let me know when you're ready!" he bellowed.

Sailor Moon turned back to Sailor Mars with the moist air moving between them. "Are you ready?" she asked.

The Senshi of Passion's eyes were closed. Her hands were clasped together in front of her face as if in prayer. As she exhaled, she let her mind wander to the thing that always brought her focus: fire. Its strength, its ability to consume, its unmatched power when harnessed. From deep within her body…no…from deep within her soul, she felt a rush…through her chest…her arms…her fingers. From the clasp, she extended her index fingers and thumbs, pressing them together as though pantomiming a gun. Sailor Moon's eyes widened as sparks and embers began to leap from Mars' fingertips.

"I'm ready," Sailor Mars said in a strong tone.

Sailor Moon gave the signal. "Tuxedo Mask, GO!"

As before, Tuxedo Mask sprinted and leapt about, throwing roses in order to draw the lightning attack. Only now, he had a layer of fog to help conceal him. (Though due to his height…and top hat…he wasn't completely hidden.) Once he had drawn the fire far to the eastern side of the construction area, he called out: "NOW, Sailor Moon!"

Loading up her tiara, Sailor Moon prepped her partner: "Here we go, Wika!" Then attacked:

"Moon Tiara…"

"Fire…Soul…"

"…Boomerang!"

"…IGNITE!"

Once again, Sailor Moon's attack took off directly towards its dastardly target. This time, however, a blazing sphere, about the size of a soccer ball, was zooming directly behind it. After about a second-and-a-half of flight, the fireball appeared to overtake and consume the tiara. But as its flight path continued, everyone watching the projectile could see that the tiara was still spinning inside of the fireball! The combination increased the speed of the attack. The device sent out a strong bolt as the flaming jewelry flew towards it. The combined attack of Mars and Moon cut right through the red electricity, found its target, and destroyed the box and antenna in a spectacular explosion.

As the mist dissipated, all five team members stood non-moving, barely in belief at what they had just witnessed. Or, rather, what they had just accomplished.

Sailor Moon turned around to Sailor Mars and leapt into an embrace that took them both to the ground.

"WIKA! THAT WAS SO AWESOME! YOU ARE SO AWESOME! THAT WAS-"

"Can you please get off of me?"

Moon and Mars both got up off of the ground. Though not as enthusiastic, Sailor Mars did find a genuine smile to match Sailor Moon's. Sailor Mercury walked over soon after that, and the three found themselves in a group hug, chattering about what just happened. Luna looked on approvingly from a distance, as did Tuxedo Mask.

All of a sudden, the celebration ended. Luna immediately sensed that something was wrong and bounded over to the group. She looked up. All of the girls were now saddened. Sailor Moon was practically in tears. "Girls," Luna began, "we defeated the enemy's plans! We can be happy, right?"

Sailor Moon sniffed. "No, we can't!"

"Look," Mars said while pointing down the street. "The people are still out cold. They'll wake up, but they've still been hurt."

"It's tough to celebrate at this time," added Mercury. "These neighborhoods have still been devastated."

The senshi continued to stand there, looking dejected. Luna didn't know what to say. All of a sudden, Sailor Moon gasped. Two hands had just touched her shoulders, massaging them ever so gently. A strange sensation ran through her body.

In a deep, soft whisper, Tuxedo Mask asked her a question: "Sailor Moon, is there anything that you can do about it?"

Sailor Moon was shivering, though her body was overheating. Her hands began to feel very hot, just like in the subway car. She thought back to that moment. Just like now, she had an overwhelming desire to heal all those that had been affected by this evil. The warrior clasped her hands together and bowed her head. The other senshi looked at her with concern. Luna looked with anticipation. From the hands of the Champion of Justice, a pink light began to shine. Sailor Moon opened her eyes. Her hands felt like they were scalding…but she was not in pain. She moved her hands into a cupped position. What she, the other senshi, and Tuxedo Mask witnessed from that point on practically made their eyeballs pop out of their sockets.

From her hands a small, white sphere manifested. It was emblazoned with light-blue crescent moons on either side. The sphere began to rise, revealing that it was attached to an emerging pink handle. After about 8cm of the short pole emerged, a glorious, golden light began to shine. The source of this light, slowly revealing itself, was a beautiful, crescent-moon shaped, crystal-like structure that capped off the interesting-looking article. Once fully materialized, the object stopped glowing, revealing its base translucent-crystal color.

Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, and Tuxedo Mask were all speechless. Sailor Moon's combination of exhilaration, confusion, and excitement rendered her speech indecipherable: "Wha…who…how…this…I…"

Luna, stifling it at first, finally let out some gentle laughter.

"What is so funny?" Sailor Moon demanded.

The cat looked up at the first senshi, smiling and shaking her head. "It would come out upside-down for you!" She walked closer. All eyes were on her, anticipating an explanation. "What you are holding is the Moon Stick," she informed Sailor Moon. "It's very powerful. It will help you to focus your abilities." She shook her head again. "I didn't think that you were ready for it yet."

"What does it do?" Sailor Mercury asked, still staring at the wand.

"Just like with you and your mist and Mars and her fire, Sailor Moon knows what to do." Luna turned back to Sailor Moon. "Listen to your heart. Listen to your strong desire. What drew the Moon Stick out?"

Sailor Moon, still a bit freaked out. Took a deep breath. She readjusted her new item, taking it by the handle in her right hand. While examining the exquisite structure, she thought back to what made her react so strongly. She raised her eyes to scan up and down the street. She could still see the sleeping people. And that was just in her line of sight. What about the others in the city? Who else was affected? Who else needed freedom? Who else needed to be…

Sailor Moon's eyes were now fixed on the tower. She began to walk towards it, as if in a trance.

"Uhh…Sailor Moon?" Mars inquired. But the Champion of Justice walked on as though she had heard nothing. As she drew ever closer to the cell tower, a beam of light started to illuminate her. By this time in the day, dusk was beginning to set in, so it wasn't sunlight shining on her. The group looked to the sky. A small opening in the clouds revealed the first quarter moon shining down upon Sailor Moon. As she walked, the opening seemed to follow her. Making her way to the base of the tower, Sailor Moon squatted, then exploded up with a jump, taking her about one-third of the way up the 30m tower. Luna and the girls gasped at the apparent danger, but Sailor Moon simply caught herself on the structure, readied again, and covered the next third in similar fashion. One more jump and she found herself at the summit.

Holding on to the top of the tower with her left hand, and with the Moon Stick in her right, Sailor Moon turned her eyes skyward. She felt the warm moonlight give her strength and resolve. In her mind's eye, she saw what she wanted to accomplish. She raised the Moon Stick to the sky and let her desire flow through it.

"Moon Healing…Escalation!"

Upon the utterance of the command, a rolling sheet of colorful energy spread from the wand across the sky. Like a sparkling aurora, the vivid yet translucent hues danced over the sky, dissipating the clouds for over a kilometer in every direction. As the moonlight shone in the early evening sky, flowering bushes and shrubs began to bud…and bloom! "I thought that Spring was just about over," Sailor Mars marveled. Under the iridescent sky, the people who had yielded to the sleeping sickness snapped awake. The group looked around and saw people, not just beginning to rouse, but actually leaping to their feet! They quickly ran into the construction zone and back to the base of the cell tower in order to avoid being seen. As they got there, Sailor Moon was descending in the same manner that she went up. She finally landed, recovered her tiara from the ground, and came face-to-face with her crew.

"That was amazing!" Sailor Mercury said with genuine awe.

"Well, that's one less thing that I can tease you about," Sailor Mars quipped.

Luna looked up at the Champion of Justice with a tear in her eye. "Unbelievable, Sailor Moon! I could not be more proud of how you carried yourself today!" She turned to the other senshi. "All of you!" She then let out a small sigh. Though she was still wary, there was another who deserved some kind words. She turned to Tuxedo Mask…

…but he was already gone. Where he had been standing, a single red rose was lying on the ground.

"Where's Tuxedo Mask?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Don't know," Mars replied. "But that was a cool way to exit!"

Sailor Moon was a bag of mixed emotions. On one hand, she had just experienced the most exhilarating feeling in her life (with the possible exception of her first transformation). To actually feel _healing_ flow out of her body and into every living thing in her area…there was no comparison, there were no words to explain it, there was just… _WOW_! Vanquishing the enemy as a team with the girls was almost relegated to "icing-on-the-cake" status! And yet…she once again failed to get anything out of Tuxedo Mask. His efforts today were integral in the group's success, but she still couldn't tell him "thank you." Why was he always so quick to leave? Was he just a show-off that happened to have a heart of gold? Why…why did his touch make her… Sailor Moon shook it off. It was nothing. He was just a brave, talented, charming, outstanding man. She was glad to have his help. It even looked like he took a direct shot from the lightning when he was retrieving her tiara, yet showed no ill effects. He was so tough, too!

"Ladies," Luna started.

"Right, time to de-transform and get out of here!" Sailor Mercury finished. She turned to Sailor Moon. "Usagi, are you ok?"

Sailor Moon nodded, still in a little bit of a mental haze. "Yeah, let's do it."

In a spray of unraveling ribbon-like energy, the Sailor Senshi reverted to their everyday identities. Surreptitiously, they blended back in with the general populace, listening to many of them rave that despite not knowing what just happened, they now felt better than they had in years.

* * *

Back in Galing's apartment, the genius handed items to both Wika and Usagi: watches – a simple silver face and black strap for Wika, a big heart-shaped face and multi-colored strap for Usagi – and two small devices resembling watch batteries. "Luna helped me with these communication devices. The small ones can go on earrings. And when we transform, they'll stay active."

Wika carefully took her new items while eying Galing's intricately decorated black and turquoise wristwear. She gave a reluctant look. "I'm not sure that I wanna stay in touch that easily! Demon trains, sleep-causing cell towers," she pulled her collar far enough to take a look and confirm that her shoulder wound was healed, "extremely painful encounters with 'evil' electricity." She turned to Luna. "What's really going on here?"

"Excuse me?" Luna asked.

"Tokyo's been the target of some weird attacks and strange rumors, especially in the past month or so. I'm not a big believer in coincidences. And you seem to know a lot: how I could use my powers, the Moon Stick. Hell, you even sensed that I was a senshi! So, what else do you know?"

Luna began to look nervous. "I…I really don't-"

"Cut the bullshit!" The outburst made Usagi and Galing jump. "Our _lives_ are on the line every time we get a call from you and every time that we face this enemy! We need to know everything that you do!"

The feline dropped her head and sighed. This timidity displayed by Luna troubled Usagi. The mentor raised her head again, made eye contact with the three young ladies before her, and launched into the unbelievable explanation:

"Your powers are not of Earth…they are of the moon. A long forgotten, majestic civilization, decimated by the same evil that you face now. Your assignments, your duties as senshi, they are ordered directly from the ancient ruler of the Moon Kingdom. Your protection by the heavenly bodies come straight from the ruler's blessing. This combined power has been passed on to you in present day because the threat that helped to consume the Moon Kingdom has never died. It lives today."

Wicapiwakan had no snide reply. She knew full well that the words spoken were true.

"Luna, I trust your judgement," Galing began, "but why did you purposefully hide this from us?"

Luna sighed deeply again. "There are consequences to knowledge. I HAVE been…judicious…with what I've told you all over the past few days and weeks." She turned her gaze. "Even with you Usagi." She moved around uncomfortably, eventually settling with her back to the girls. She continued: "Believe me, I know what you're risking every time that you transform. I know how serious this is. I will never do anything to hurt you, any of you! And I will never ask you to go into harm's way without a good reason, a plan, and a contingency. But there are still some things that I can't share with you yet. I need you all to trust me. More answers will come in time. Right now, we need to stay focused. The increase in attacks can only mean one thing: that what this evil wants must be right here, in Tokyo."

Usagi's heart felt like it was in her throat. Everything that Luna said sounded so familiar, just like the strange sensations of déjà vu that she couldn't shake. She was terrified and fascinated at this revelation, but she had no idea how to use this new information. At this moment, there was something else pressing on her mind…something that felt like it fit into this picture like a key puzzle piece. She leaned in towards the sulking cat.

"Luna," she carefully began, voice quivering, "does any of this have to do with…'Imperium?'"

Luna fell over.

"Really, Luna?" Usagi scoffed. "You're gonna play games after all of that?" She kept her eyes on the feline's body. Outside of breathing, there was no movement. "Luna?!" Usagi rushed to pick up Luna's body. She cradled the furry head in her palm while holding the cat's body to her bosom. Luna was unconscious and unresponsive. Galing was now standing over the pair, both hands over her nose and mouth, eyes misty. Wika had moved closer as well, with a look of genuine concern.

Usagi, with waterworks flowing freely down her face, embraced Luna tightly, but gently. She was shaking, sobs and apologies sputtering through tears and snot. Though this creature had turned her life upside down barely three weeks ago, Luna was still the one who had stuck by her side the entire time, willing her, watching out for her, guiding her…even giving her space when necessary. While she had her own issues with the lack of information, the stress of this revelation had to be gargantuan for Luna's reaction! Did she even want to know what Luna knew? Did she even want any idea of what was next to come?

Usagi looked up at her fellow senshi. "Guys…are we strong enough to handle this?"

* * *

With sweat glistening on her forehead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The next moment would take perfect coordination and she didn't want to mess up. When the alarm rang, her perfectly toned body sprang into action. With enviable fluidity, she opened the oven, pulled the baking sheet out, set it gently on the stove top, spread a perfect layer of icing on each individual ball, and set it all back in the oven for two minutes. She reset the timer, knowing that the class would love her sweet take on Pao de Queijo. A smile came to her face. Those kids were so cute!

She wiped her hands on the apron currently thrown over her karate gi and peered out into the practice area. It was convenient that the dojo had a full apartment attached to it (especially one with access to an oven!), and that her sensei was willing to let her use it for free, so long as she remained an instructor. Funny: she came to learn from a master, only to become a teacher. (Also funny: her sensei reminded her of a guy that she once had a crush on…) As another teacher ran the children through their kicking drills, she turned back into the kitchen.

Going to the window, she looked up at the bright half-moon shining in the clear sky. As she ran her hand over the collection of plants on the windowsill, she nodded along to her sensei's "European Underground" playlist. While nothing got her shapely hips moving like authentic samba, she was definitely feeling this French artist's acoustic cover of an old Sade song.

Staring at the semi-circle, she noted how the shape appeared to morph…into a sparkling white castle. From below, a fist with a honey-brown skin tone appeared (wait…was that _her_ hand?) and threw a mixture of leaves and rose petals in the air. The plant material floated in the air for a moment just before a bold flash of lightning struck the hand. But instead of being electrocuted, the hand was now covered with a white glove. A sheet of green fabric then whirled through the scene, revealing a large, multi-colored sphere with a prominent red spot on its surface. As other rocks and spheres flew past her line of sight, the vision turned towards the emptiness of space. Two bright green eyes opened (wait…were those _her_ eyes?) and a small electric discharge sparked above them. A green jewel appeared at that spot, with golden bands emerging from either side. Distant thunder was heard, then a crashing boom!

The young lady twitched at the perception of the sound. She turned away from the window, her wavy, brown ponytail bouncing with each heightened breath. The alarm was now going off, so she refocused and took the treats out of the oven. Placing them down to cool, she tried to make sense of what she had just seen. Her gaze went back over to the plants on the windowsill…and an arc of electricity crackled between two of them.

" _Nossa_!" she exclaimed quietly in her native tongue. "What _was_ that?"

* * *

 _These mysteries are too much! Even for Luna! I don't know if we can keep stopping these evil schemes if we don't know what's going on! The moon?! Oh, wow! Will we be strong enough to get through all of this? We'll find out together, next time on The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	17. SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Three Months Ago

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

 _(Read the last paragraph of **Act VI Part 2** for this character's first introduction)_

* * *

 **SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Three Months Ago**

With sweat glistening on her forehead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The next moment would take perfect coordination and she didn't want to mess up. When the signal came, her perfectly toned body sprang into action. With enviable fluidity, she spun herself counter clockwise, launched into the air off of her left foot, then torqued her hips while spreading her arms and tilting her head back for balance. Her right foot, then her left, fluttered gracefully through the air for a fraction of a second. As quickly as she took off, her feet returned to the ground as she settled into a fierce pose.

Applause came from the only witness in the studio. "Beautiful! Beautiful! You never cease to amaze me! I wish that I could say that I taught you wushu!"

The young woman adjusted her green hair-tie balls and flipped her bouncy brown ponytail, flashing a big smile. "Not bad for a girl from the favelas, huh?"

The teacher stood up, moving towards the window. The Liberdade district of São Paulo spread before him. "Who could have known that the skinny tomboy that came into this studio 12 years ago, sporting a black eye, would develop into one of Brazil's most decorated martial artists?" He turned to her and smiled. "Do you know how many men are afraid of you?"

The young woman narrowed her bright green eyes and cut them towards the elderly man. "Thank you for reminding me, sensei!" Needless to say, the love life of a tall, strong, dark-skinned woman, who could beat the brakes off of anyone from Rio to Brasilia – even one who could also win any beach bikini contest that she entered – was a tough one. She was kind of infamous for having a new head-over-heels crush every year. Unfortunately, they all tended to end the same way.

The sensei moved towards his prized student, a few tears welling up as the time of parting neared. He put his hand on her cheek. "Only a fool would pass on a woman like you. You just need to stop running into so many fools!" The young woman smiled. "You are a woman full of strength and life! I will miss you sharing that passion with us, Madeira!"

She took his hand in return. "I'll miss it here too." She then swung both of her arms around and stretched towards the ceiling. "BUT…I am sooooooo excited to go! Learning karate while actually living _in_ Japan?" She beamed as she danced towards her bag. Emblazoned on the side was the word "Força." Many opponents thought that it was an intimidation tactic. It wasn't until the announcer made introductions that people figured out it was actually her last name.

Kneeling down to pick the bag up, Madeira paused. She was so caught up in her next adventure that she hadn't taken the time to let the nostalgia wash over her. Despite the heartbreaks, family drama, and the rough upbringing in the city's poorer areas, she had found a lot of peace in this studio. It was her sensei – when he saw the easy grace with which she moved, the explosive power that she packed into each strike, and her prodigious capacity for learning the nuances of the art – who suggested that she explore beyond his style of karate and learn all that she can. Over the past dozen years, she had earned black belts or top marks in aikido, judo, jujutsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, capoeira, Black Tiger Fist kung fu, taekwondo, and Muay Thai. Additionally, she learned techniques in arts ranging from Greco-Roman wrestling and Krav Maga to Samoan LimaLama and Turkish Sayokan.

While her journey to the winner's circle took determination, intelligence, sweat, and study, it was a fact (unknown to all except those closest to her) that she actually preferred to put those attributes to work in the kitchen and around the home. _Nothing_ made her smile more than making other people happy. (Well…maybe forcing those especially mouthy, disrespectful guys to tap out…) Madeira smiled as she thought back to a tournament in Porto Alegre: after handily defeating her competition, she invited her fellow warriors to the meeting hall…where she had laid out two full tables of sweets that she had baked in-between matches. She also loved to decorate and re-decorate wherever she lived. Surrounding her loved ones with beauty warmed her soul. A tear finally made it to her eye. She rubbed her fingers over her earlobe. Her mother's old earrings would always remind her of home.

The sensei chuckled. "Took you long enough. You're not one to hold in her feelings."

"Maybe I haven't fully processed it yet," Madeira responded while wiping her eye. "I mean, I'm so happy to be going, and I'm so grateful to you for connecting me to the sensei there…but it's such a long trip and so far away!" She stood to her full 188 cm and walked to the window. Her hand caressed the tiny bud that she had planted in the pot on the windowsill. "The biggest Japanese neighborhood in Brazil is one thing. Tokyo? That's another." She exhaled while watching some children run in the street. "That's another."

"I would think that you're a little bit past worrying about standing out. When have you ever melted into a crowd? A wildflower like you is meant to be on display."

Madeira smiled…and blushed a little.

"Think back to the moment that you made up your mind to go. What was it that let you know that you were making the right decision?"

Madeira sighed. "It was at the observatory." She blushed again. "My last date. He said that he wanted to 'show me my name in a different light.'" She saw that her sensei had a confused look on his face. "My middle name is Estrela. I never told you that?" After the sensei shook his head, she continued. "Anyway, all the time that we were together, I had been talking about the chance to go and study. I asked him whether he thought that I should stay or go. He…didn't really give an answer. But, a few minutes later they focused the telescope on Jupiter and I was able to take a look. It was so cool! And when I saw it, so big and majestic…I just got this feeling that I had to go to Japan, and accept a new adventure in the…Sen…zai…kawa neighborhood."

"Sendaizaka," the sensei corrected.

Madeira nodded. "But that was it. Staring at a planet during a lousy date." She turned back to her teacher. "Pretty weird, right?"

"I've heard weirder things," he replied. "Like the fact that you're planning on joining a cargo ship crew and working for your passage to Japan? Are you THAT opposed to taking a plane?"

An uncomfortable look passed over her face. "Yes, I am." The smile returned. "Don't worry! I'll get there!" She gave her sensei a lovingly respectful look. "Thank you for everything! I will be back home sometime!" She stepped to him and gave him a powerful embrace.

"Thank you," he said after the hold was broken. "I think that you re-aligned my back." Seeing that Madeira was not moved by the old joke, he continued. "You have been a wonderful student. Go and spread your wings."

Madeira took a deep breath, smiled, and walked out, ready for her new world.

As he watched her depart, the sensei's hand brushed the flower pot. A shock of electricity jolted him. Surprised, he looked down…

…at a fully bloomed pink rose.

* * *

 **Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:**

 _Spending some time with my best friend is a great way to forget about all of these recent troubles! But, just my luck! It looks like our enemies can't even leave a photo exhibition in peace! On the upside, I ran into this tall girl with incredible fighting skills! Just how much of a warrior is this strong sweetheart? We'll find out next time with " **Flash**!" See you soon!_


	18. Act VII: Flash - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wika::Rei; Madeira::?; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act VII: Flash**

 _Oh, it's been so long since I got to hang out with Naru! But things at this photography exhibit are not what they seem! Are our enemies out to use another person for their evil deeds? And who is this tall, strong girl with killer moves and great food? Is she the next one to join our fight? Will we all have to come together again so soon? I guess that I don't get a break! Because wherever there's evil, in the name of the Moon, I'll punish it!_

 **Part 1: Madeira Força**

Braving the same raindrops from the day before, Usagi and Naru, umbrellas in hand, made their walk away from the Tokyo Dome. Naru, with her camera bag over her shoulder, was still raving about the photography expo that they had just departed from. While cameras were not Usagi's interest, their lively chatter was just what she needed. Not only was it a rare one-on-one activity for her and her best friend, but it also helped to get them out of Azabu-Juban, which was still kind of a mess from the "sleeping sickness" event from yesterday.

While the district had a lot of physical recovery to do, Usagi was trying to do the same mentally. The swing from the exhilarating highs of victory, to the wonder of the newly revealed Moon Stick, to the lows of Luna's passing out over the Imperium mystery was an unwelcome roller coaster. Everyone involved in senshi business was handling things in their own way. Luna eventually regained consciousness, but left during the night and had yet to make any more contact. Galing had work to do in Yokohama and wouldn't be heading back to the area until tomorrow. And Wika simply wasn't answering any calls or texts. Usagi wasn't surprised by this, though. A reset was good for everybody.

Naru pulled out the program guide and turned to a bookmarked page. "Kijin Shinokawa! He was considered a youth prodigy back when we were in middle school."

Usagi scrunched her face. "Middle school? I don't remember a Kijin Shinokawa!"

"Maybe if you'd read less manga, you'd have known about these things!" Naru answered back. She continued, "He was a really sweet kid, and we actually stayed in touch for a while. Eventually, he grew into one of the best landscape photographers in Japan, and then the world! You've seen his photographs in magazines, computer default backgrounds, anime, even if you don't know it! But in the past few months he's made a very hard turn to sports photography, which is fine if that's what he likes, but…" Her face fell just a bit. "…his personality has…changed. He's arrogant, pushy, nothing like the nice guy that I knew." She paused. "I guess that people change."

Naru looked over at Usagi…who had yakitori in her mouth. Usagi removed the bare stick and followed up. "So, did this guy present something today?"

"No, he announced a huge unveiling and special project tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure that it's sports-related. The location is the huge new indoor soccer complex near Yoyogi Park." Naru closed the guide. "I guess that I'll go and see what he's up to. Couldn't hurt, right?"

"Hey, you never know!" Usagi moved in front of Naru and began to walk backwards, pretending to take pictures of her. "Naru Osaka, former accountant, now photographer to the stars! And it all started at a Sunday workshop!"

Naru shook her head and smiled. "You're crazy!"

Laughing, Usagi turned around and kept waking.

" _USAGI!_ "

Usagi stopped laughing. A dreadful sound drew her eyes to the right: heading directly towards her was a taxi. Before she could move a muscle, she felt herself being swung into the air, clear of the street. Startled, Usagi regained her bearings. She was still being suspended above the ground (in a similar manner to a cartoon lion cub). She could see the taxi speeding along its way. She turned back to see the face of her presumed rescuer, but they were also looking at the taxi. The only feature that stood out was a gorgeous pink rose earring.

Finally, Usagi's feet found the ground. She turned and bowed to the person (female, she assumed) who saved her from the street. She straightened her posture and looked up…and up…and up. Usagi couldn't help but stare. This was the tallest woman that she had ever laid her eyes on. The giant was sporting a snug warm-up jacket and a pair of yoga pants. The way that she was wearing the ensemble seemed to be a ploy to show off her ridiculous hourglass figure. As Usagi took in the woman's face, she could tell by her honey-brown complexion and bright green eyes that she was a visitor to Japan.

While Usagi was locked on mute, the stranger broke the awkward silence: "You should be more careful."

Usagi watched as the woman picked up her umbrella and continued down the street. Naru, having recovered Usagi's umbrella, came to her friend's side. "Whoa! Did you see her body?" The pair watched as the young woman continued her trek, turning heads along the way. "She must be the queen of the gym!"

"Because they're comfortable, that's why!"

Naru and Usagi now saw the same woman berating someone, forcing an apologetic gesture. The natives of Japan had an idea of what the issue was. "Somebody must have said something about the yoga pants," Usagi deduced, "and they didn't know that she understood Japanese." The girl walked on, her brown ponytail bouncing the entire way.

"Intimidating…" Naru said as they finally got the walk sign. Moving with the crowd, Usagi thought back to the girl's bravery…and her super-cute earrings.

"I wonder…"

* * *

Usagi was laying in her bed, glad that the morning had brought an end to the rain. She was playing games on her phone while Naru was getting her camera equipment together for the big project near Yoyogi Park.

After failing level 25 of Sailor V Jewel Challenge, she looked over towards the window. Her heart skipped a beat. There was Luna, curled up and quiet. Usagi didn't even hear her come in. Luna was extra-sneaky today!

"How long have you been here?" Usagi inquired.

"A while," Luna answered listlessly.

Usagi moved towards her. "A-Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine," came the unconvincing reply. "But that's not the most important thing right now." She sighed. "Can you open up The Negaverse? There's an article there that may be relevant for you today."

Opening up her internet browser, Usagi took careful note of Luna's change in demeanor. She almost seemed apologetic about bothering her. This was really unnerving. Making her way to The Negaverse, she didn't have to scroll far to see the article of interest. She selected it and read.

According to reporting, ever since Kijin Shinokawa switched from nature photography to sports, strange things began to happen to his subjects: the athletes participating in his photoshoots saw their stats and stamina go down in the following days. Professional basketball players in America, participating in an all-star shoot, saw their shooting percentages and minutes played take a dip in their next three to four games. Japan's young female tennis sensation suffered a stunning straight set loss in the opening round of her first tournament following a session with Shinokawa.

"If our enemies are looking to steal energy," Luna added, "finding their way to the world's most elite athletes would be a good idea." The cat finally uncurled herself and hopped down onto the bed. "Since you're going down to Yoyogi with Naru, I want you to keep your eyes open."

While less vociferous than usual, Usagi still had a protest. "Luna, I was really wanting to just spend some time with Naru."

Luna nodded. "And you can. Just keep your eyes open. If there's nothing out of the ordinary, don't worry about it."

Now Usagi was really worried. This did _not_ sound like Luna at all. If there were a breed of black talking cats with crescent moons on their foreheads, Usagi would be certain that an imposter had done away with her original mentor.

"Luna, are you sure that you're ok?"

"Don't worry about me. I still have my job to do. When I need to bother you, you'll know." Luna made her way from the bed back to the windowsill. She looked back to Usagi. "And I promise…answers are coming. Please trust me."

As Usagi watched Luna leave, the last line spoken lingered in her head. "I do," she quietly responded, "but I still want to know…"

* * *

Pyrotechnics went off, music blared, and the spotlight zoomed in on the very center of the stage. Posing triumphantly was the man of the hour, Kijin Shinokawa. He raised a hexagonal-shaped external flash high above his head.

"My fellow creators of art! This device will revolutionize the way that you take action pictures! These special flashes use the infrared spectrum in a way never done before! With this technology, you'll be able to capture high-speed images without the annoying bright flash that can distract athletes!" He ran to the edge of the stage. "This product has my full endorsement!"

As most of the crowd applauded and cheered in approval, one auburn-haired accountant stood dour. "I should have known. All of this was to sell something." Naru looked around the venue. They were in one of the six large terraces in the compound that functioned as an indoor soccer complex. The current area was being used to sell camera equipment, serve food, and have small demonstrations.

Usagi was focused on something else. Kijin's over-animated style was stirring up bad memories. Specifically, the way that Naru's mother was acting before the Osa-P incident. Given this disturbing similarity in conjunction with Luna's warning, Usagi felt the need to be on high alert. So much for taking a little break from things!

Shinokawa continued: "You know what I always say: 'Art is a bomb!' Well, no one on Earth carries as much explosive artistic power as athletes! It is my duty to capture their energy!"

Usagi's ears perked up.

"That's why today, to debut this new technology, we have gathered 10 youth teams to compete in friendly exhibition, while my camera arrays capture unprecedented shots of the action! Amateur photographers are encouraged to join in!" The young man strutted along the stage as more applause rang out. "Enjoy the preliminaries while we set up for the main events! Right now, let's get the team captains up here for a picture!"

Naru sighed. "C'mon. Maybe I can find something more interesting around here." Usagi nodded in agreement as the captains gathered with Kijin. As one of the flashes popped, Usagi was suddenly overcome with a strange feeling…

 _That flash…like…light reflecting…off of a sword…coming after me? No…protecting me…someone is protecting me…who is…?_

"Usagi? You ok?"

Usagi snapped back and engaged with her friend. "Y-yeah, I just spaced out for a minute."

"I'll hold all of the easy jokes," Naru said through a smile. Rolling her eyes, but still trying to make sense of the fuzzy scene, Usagi followed Naru through the crowd and into one of the other terraces. Upon entering, they were greeted by a sight that definitely promised something interesting.

Several people, all wearing colorful martial arts outfits, were standing in a line, holding wooden boards in various positions. At the end of the line was a thin concrete slab on the ground and a final person holding a board on a ladder. Naru ripped her camera out of the bag and ran over towards the other photographers with Usagi close behind. As the photobugs waited, Usagi's attention turned upward. On the sides and in the corners of the terrace were large, hexagonal shaped lights that definitely did not fit in with the normal lights. Given the similar shape to the accessory that Kijin was hawking, she concluded that those must be the special flashes for the project.

The clear tone of a bell caught Usagi's attention. But by the time she shifted her sights back to the martial artists, all that she could see was a blur of activity. Fists, elbows, and shins broke the boards. A back handspring stepout led to kicks, punches, and a roll. As the whirling dervish launched into the air, Usagi saw that the athlete wore a clean white karate gi with green trim and a decorated black belt. A high kick shattered the board being held on the ladder. As gravity finally brought the warrior down, the high kick transformed into a powerful axe kick that broke the concrete slab. "That was a thin piece of cement," Usagi thought to herself, "but still…"

The crowd delighter exploded up from the split position. Standing up straight and facing the applauding audience, Usagi got a good look…and let out an audible gasp. It was none other than the same woman who saved her from the taxi last night! As the tall foreigner bowed, Naru poked Usagi in the ribs. "Looks like your friend from yesterday followed you!"

As the warrior made her way out of the exhibition area, Usagi could only let out a "whoa".

* * *

After watching a couple of other exhibitions, Naru had gone to look for some camera accessories, while Usagi had gone to look for lunch. While browsing her options (and thinking that maybe a little of everything would work), her eyes fell on a familiar outfit, one worn by a solitary figure at a table. She recognized immediately that this was the brawny girl that dazzled with her martial arts display. Usagi changed course to get a better look. Upon turning the corner, she caught sight of the woman's gym bag. WOW! It was decorated so beautifully! It looked like one half was plain, but the other half had the cutest flower designs! Furtively, Usagi walked behind her seat. She simultaneously caught both a gaze and a whiff of some of the most interesting food that she had ever sensed. She paused to take it in, mouth watering.

Suddenly, the martial artist, feeling someone behind her, wheeled around. Usagi, in response, unconsciously backed up…right into some other people enjoying their lunch. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She said to the people that she bumped into. While apologizing, her foot got caught in the tall foreigner's cute bag, causing Usagi to lose her balance and trip backwards…directly onto the bench next to the martial artist. Usagi looked at the stranger and forced a weak smile.

The gi-clad girl gave a slight chuckle. "You REALLY should be more careful!" Shaking her head, she returned to her lunch. After a few bites, she noticed that this blonde klutz was staring at her bento box. Eventually, her gaze met the interloper's puppy-dog blues.

"That looks _really_ good!" Usagi said. "What is it?"

"Oh, it's…uh…it's called feijoada. Black beans, pork, and rice. Kind of a famous dish back in Brazil."

Usagi's eyes sparkled. "Brazil? Wow! So cool!" She continued to gaze. "And what about that?"

A curious smile parted the martial artist's full lips. "They're called acarajé. African influenced fried bean patties."

"Oh. And those-"

"Coxinha." The girl turned to Usagi. "You know, you can just try some if you'd like!"

"Oh, I would hate to bother you!" Usagi said while reaching for a piece of coxinha…and acarajé.

The Brazilian laughed. "I bet!"

Usagi let the exotic taste take over her mouth. "Oh…my…goodness! This is so good! Where did you find this stuff in Tokyo?"

"I didn't. I made it myself."

Usagi squealed. "You're a cook too? No way! How many skills do you have? Next you're gonna tell me that you made all of the decorations on your gym bag!"

The tall foreigner nodded. "I did."

Usagi squealed again. Her new companion laughed, a little harder this time. The martial artist had to know: "So, who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Usagi Tsukino, from right here in Tokyo!"

"Nice to meet you, Usagi! My name is Madeira. Madeira Força."

Usagi recited the name, "Ma-de-i-ra. Ok!"

"But, if it's easier," Madeira added, "just call me Madi. That's what the kids do."

Usagi beamed. "Madi! That's so cute!" She looked longingly at the feijoada. "So, kids you say?"

Madi dug into her bag and produced an extra bowl and chopsticks. Handing them to Usagi, she answered. "Yeah, I teach karate and judo at a dojo in Sendaizaka. They're so much fun!" She took a bite of her lunch. "I wish the adults were as much fun," she grumbled under her breath.

Face stuffed, Usagi gave a look of concern. "What do you mean?"

"Well…I'm just having a lot of trouble adjusting to life here," Madeira answered. "There's all kind of little missteps that can get you on people's bad sides. Plus, there's my height…and build. I'm pretty sure that most people are scared of me. I haven't met any new friends since I've been here."

Usagi swallowed and took a good look at Madi. It was obvious from this story that she was having a rough time.

"You know what I see?" Madi looked up at Usagi. "I see a beautiful, strong woman, who's an amazing athlete, wonderful cook, and even a great designer! No matter what country you're in, if someone can't see that about you, it's their own fault!" She grinned. "I've only known you a few minutes and I think you're amazing!"

Madi smiled. In fact, it was her biggest smile since she had stepped off of the boat. This girl was nuts! But still a real sweetheart. She was glad that the stalking of her lunch ended on such a positive note. Now…if only she could figure out the reason why when she picked Usagi up out of the street, the image of that white castle flashed again.

The girls finished eating and exchanged contact info. Shortly thereafter, it was time for Madi to get ready for another exhibition. "Hey! I'll definitely call you! Sounds like you know a ton of great places to get food!"

Usagi smiled. "Absolutely! Have fun! Talk to you later!" As the two waved, Naru arrived just in time to see Madi walk away.

"Anybody."

Usagi looked confused.

"You can make friends with anybody. It's like your superpower."

"Hmm…" Usagi hummed. "I didn't do anything special! She's just a really nice person! And a good cook!"

Naru put her arm around Usagi. "Come on, Ms. 'Friendship is Magic'. I want to get a good seat before these games begin."

* * *

Usagi and Naru were seated in the first terrace as the matches kicked off. The kids were greatly enjoying being the center of attention as they played with a joyful reckless abandon. Their athleticism on display was perfect for the photographers that were present. Usagi looked up at the large flashes in the upper corners of the play area. She noted the subtle flickers every few seconds. It must have been the flashes illuminating the action so that it could be captured by the array of unmanned cameras in the room. But where was Kijin? How was he controlling everything?

Looking back to the action, Usagi began to feel uneasy. She was getting queasy and a little…tired. The unease graduated to full on dread when she realized just how familiar it felt. She swallowed hard. She knew that she was going to have to do something…but Naru was still here. How was she going to get away? Despite not having a clear plan, she turned towards her best friend…

…and saw her sweating and looking nauseous.

Alarms rang in Usagi's head. This was exactly what happened at Osa-P when they first encountered the Yamana Ruby! There was no doubt: Kijin had been corrupted by the enemy to collect energy, and that everyone in the complex was in danger! But, Usagi had a priority.

Usagi took Naru by the hand. "Hey, you don't look so good."

"Yeah," Naru agreed, "I don't feel well. I'm hot…and kind of dizzy."

Usagi took her by the arm and helped her out of the stands, all the time staying aware of her surroundings. As she was guiding Naru out, she heard disquieting comments:

"I know that the kids are playing hard, but they look really tired out there!"

"Hey, someone needs to check on that defender!"

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'm not feeling great."

The pair finally made it to the original terrace. Thankfully, there appeared to be no threats present. Usagi sat Naru down at one of the lunch tables and fetched her some water. "I'll be back soon," she assured her friend.

Usagi quickly made her way back to the field. Upon entering, she was greeted with full-blown panic. The players and audience members were struggling to stand. She looked up. The rate of subtle flashes had increased dramatically. With the attack fully underway, there was only one thing to do!

Usagi ducked under the stands and pulled out her brooch. She quickly tapped the heart-shaped wristwatch on her left arm.

"Luna! I'm at the soccer complex! The enemy is attacking! I'm transforming now!"

Without waiting for a reply, Usagi grasped her brooch and uttered her phrase:

"Moon Prism Power…Make…UP!"

After a detonation of sparkles, the Champion of Justice was revealed. She took a deep breath: this would be the biggest crowd that she had ever appeared in front of. She really, _really_ , hoped that the glamour would help conceal her identity right now!

Sailor Moon emerged from under the stands. Some people were able to get out, but others were stuck, too tired to move. She sprinted towards the pitch and took a flying leap to midfield. As she readied her most reliable attack, she saw a figure at the far end of the field carrying people out of the arena. The person appeared to be wearing a karate gi. Sailor Moon focused on her targets.

"Moon Tiara Boomerang!"

Sailor Moon let her attack fly. The impact destroyed one of the flashes. The tiara returned to her, and she flung it towards another flash. Within one minute, the immediate threat on the current pitch was no more. Sailor Moon looked around as the people began to stir slowly and weakly. Knowing that they would eventually recover, and that there were four more games going on, she took a step towards the door.

"You forgot to tell me about this!"

Horrified, Sailor Moon snapped her head towards the sound. Staring at her, awestruck, was Madi, still wearing her outfit from earlier in the day. Sailor Moon stammered out a question: "Y-y-you can…see me?!"

Madi chuckled. "Of course I can! You're right here!"

Sailor Moon, while knocked off-balance by this revelation, was still focused on the task at hand. "Ok, we can talk about this later! Right now, I have to go. Stay here and keep yourself safe!"

"NO WAY!" Madi roared, face filled with anger. "Some scumbag set everyone in here up to be hurt! I don't know how they're doing it, but everyone is sick. This was a plan! And when I figure out who it is, they're gonna be sorry!"

Sailor Moon was now the one in awe. She should have expected it (after all, there were only two other people who had displayed the ability to look right through her transformation), but it was still amazing to see: a green symbol appeared on Madi's forehead during her passionate speech. Sailor Moon opened her mouth to respond…

"I'm glad to hear that!"

The sound came before Sailor Moon had a chance to say anything. Both she and Madi looked over to the far sideline. Bouncing towards them was Luna, pin in mouth. She placed it at the feet of the towering martial artist. "The protection of Jupiter is on you! Now, take this pin, say 'Jupiter Power, Make-up,' and join us!"

Madi was speechless. Sailor Moon shook her shoulder. "Look, there's a reason why you could see me in this outfit. There's…also a reason why this cat is talking! But right now…can you trust us?"

Madi still stood frozen. Was this _louca_ girl really the mysterious new heroine of Tokyo? Was she really being recruited? Was that whole planet Jupiter feeling for real? Slowly, she squatted down and picked up the pin from the kind-faced cat. The emerald face had the symbol for the planet inscribed with gold in the middle, with pink, red, turquoise, and orange jewels on the rim. She looked back to Sailor Moon. "I have no idea whether I can trust you or not," she answered honestly. "I just met you." Madi looked around at the crowd. They were slowly recovering but still hurting. "But if you're giving me a chance to help, I'll take it!"

Madi stretched her long arm to the sky:

"Jupiter Power…Make…UP!"

* * *

 _Hey! This is no time for a nap! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be right back!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	19. Act VII: Flash - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wika::Rei; Madi::Makoto; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act VII: Flash**

 _Hope you're ready for more fun! Let's get back to The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2: Sailor Jupiter**

"Wow! This is…kinda cool!"

Madeira looked around at her strange surroundings. Whizzing around her like a whirlwind in this dark, empty space were dozens of green sparks. Curiously, she reached her right hand into the sky…and immediately attracted three bolts of lightning! The strike seemed to cause her body to spin. Madi stuck her left arm out, palm forward, and raised her right foot behind her in an effort to keep her balance. But…she wasn't falling. Instead, the electricity was falling down around her, surrounding her. As her twirling began to slow, she tucked her arms and legs in tight. The arcs of lightning now took the shape of electron paths around an atom's nucleus. With a crackle and thundercrash, Madeira felt a shock throughout her entire body, causing her to extend her limbs. When she did, she noticed that she felt…different. She was not wearing her gi anymore, but she was definitely clothed. A final rush came from her forehead and traveled the entire circumference. As she felt herself returning to the previous world, she gave one more ballet-type spiral, finishing in a fighting position.

Fading back into view for Madi was a familiar pair of eyes (and ponytails). Sailor Moon cracked a smile. "That never gets old!"

"What never gets old?" Madi demanded.

Luna leapt to Madi's feet. "We've had the privilege of seeing two other new senshi appear with our own eyes! And now you've arrived! Welcome to our team, Sailor Jupiter!"

The freshly christened Sailor Jupiter held out both hands in protest. "Hey, wait a minute, what are you-" The unexpected coverings on her hands caught her attention. "Uhh…what are these?" Jupiter's eyes traveled across her person. She was now wearing long white gloves with green accents. Looking towards the floor, she saw green lace-up boots on her feet. Her body was covered in a white sailor fuku with a corresponding green skirt. Her pin was nestled within a large pink bow in the front, while a matching bow decorated the rear. A green scarf and matching choker adorned her neck. An emerald jewel sat in a gold tiara on her head. Interestingly, her pink rose earrings and green hair-tie balls survived the transformation.

"Ok…I'm…kind of freaking out here!"

"No time for that," Sailor Moon and Luna said simultaneously. They stared at each other for a moment. Sailor Moon took her newest friend by the hand. "C'mon! We have some fighting to do!"

Running into the hall with Sailor Moon (and Luna close behind), Sailor Jupiter was still stammering, trying to get some answers. But what she saw next set her speechless anew: two more girls, wearing the same basic outfit as her.

"Wika! Galing! When did you get here?" Sailor Moon asked.

The Guardians of Wisdom and Passion had their own inquiry. "Umm…who is this?" Mars asked.

"Sailor Jupiter," Luna jumped in. "Our new ally."

Sailor Mercury gave a sweet smile. "Nice to meet you! Don't worry, we'll have a nice long talk later about what's going on!" Jupiter looked a little relieved at that statement.

"Anyway, a lot of the people have already evacuated. Mercury and I took care of the camera flashes on two of the soccer fields, so there's only the last two left." Mars looked to Sailor Moon. "To answer your earlier question, I just so happened to be in the neighborhood. There was some good shopping in Harajuku today." She turned her head back to the hall. "Plus, it's my job."

"I actually just got back in town," Mercury added. "15 minutes earlier and I would have been no help."

Sailor Moon smiled. "I'm glad that you two are here! Let's go!"

"Wait."

The girls looked down at Luna. "Wait? What for?" Sailor Moon asked.

Luna looked to Sailor Mercury. "The command center for all of the cameras and flashes is outside. I'll take you there and you can disable it and do some investigation."

Mercury nodded. "Sounds good."

Luna looked back to the remaining three senshi. "The rest of you ladies, kindly lay waste to young Mr. Shinokawa's party."

As Luna led Sailor Mercury outside, Moon, Mars, and Jupiter continued to move towards the two remaining terraces. The closer that they came, the more they could hear the moans for help and feeble pleas for mercy. "They're over there!" Jupiter exclaimed, pointing towards the doors to the right.

The trio burst in and immediately saw the cause of the commotion: about 20 people were trapped in the corner of the arena, groaning, crying, and weakly trying to fend off their assailant, who was no other than Kijin Shinokawa himself. The weapon that he was brandishing was a handheld camera. Sailor Moon quickly looked up. The large flashes were still firing intermittently. Every flash, be it from Kijin's camera or the oversized strobes near the roof, appeared to cause the victims pain. This didn't seem to matter to Kijin as his frenzied state was at fever pitch. "Art is a bomb! ART IS A BOMB!" he kept repeating while taking pictures of the suffering group.

"STOP!"

With an irritated look, Kijin wheeled to the door. There he saw a woman, dressed in a sailor fuku, flanked by two others.

"How dare you use the art of photography as a weapon! Pictures are supposed to bring the beauty out of everyone! Causing people pain and enjoying it? That is unforgivable!" She struck a pose.

"Protected by the Moon! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and justice! I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

Kijin glowered. "You peon! You would dare tell me how to perform my art? This masterpiece is for something far more important than mere recognition! This art is an offering to the Great Ruler!"

"That settles it," Sailor Moon said. She took a few steps towards Kijin, gained speed and momentum, and leapt into the air. She aimed her descent towards the photographer and spiraled her body. "Sailor V Kick!"

Kijin immediately recognized that Sailor Moon was aiming for the camera. He yanked it out of harm's way as Sailor Moon landed. Using his own momentum, he delivered a vicious spinning backhand to the face of the Champion of Justice, knocking her backwards, right into the body of a charging Sailor Mars.

On the floor, in a heap, the senshi shook off the blows. "That skinny kid is that strong?" Mars marveled. She then produced an ofuda between her fingers. "I'll take him down a notch." She closed her eyes and began her chant:

"Rin…Pyou…Tou…Sha…Kai…Jin…Retsu…Zai…Zen!"

The ofuda was covered in the familiar blue flame. Moon and Mars got off of the ground and Mars charged at Kijin. "Evil spirit, be exor-"

Just as Mars was about to apply the ofuda, Kijin flash stepped out of the way. Off-balance, Sailor Mars tumbled down onto her knees. "Damn! He's fast too?"

Sailor Moon looked angry. "Okay! I tried to take it easy on you, but you leave me no choice!" She took her tiara by the jewel and moved to load up her throw. But a hard slap of her hand knocked the tiara 5 meters away. "What the…?"

Kijin materialized before her, snapping his camera. "Oh, YES! Keep that anger! That determination!" Sailor Moon gasped. It was obvious that he had knocked her tiara away. Now, as she expected, with every picture, she could feel her power draining ever so slightly. "This is wonderful!" Kijin raved. "The thrill of the fight!"

"Sailor Moon!" Mars yelled concernedly. She hopped up, took a deep breath, and centered herself, positioning her fingers for her fireball attack.

"Mars! Look out!"

Mars opened her eyes just in time to see Kijin's open palm meet her face, driving her into the ground. "Will the heroes win? Or will they meet their doom? What conflict!" He continued to take pictures.

With the shutterbug occupied, Sailor Moon moved to retrieve her tiara. But when she got within a meter, Kijin appeared and kicked it away. "Despair! Desperation! The hero is powerless! WHAT WILL SHE DO?!"

Sailor Mars tried to ready a fireball again, only for Kijin to once again interrupt her. And he still found time to keep Sailor Moon's tiara away. All the time, he kept taking his pictures. His speed (no doubt evil-entity enhanced) was keeping the senshi from mounting any offense. Huffing and puffing, kneeling in a frustrated heap, Moon and Mars looked up at the crazed photographer.

"Have they given up? Is it over? IS THIS THE WAY THE MANGA…?"

Out of nowhere, a straight right hand met Kijin's jaw, knocking him across the pitch. Sailors Moon and Mars turned shocked gazes to the towering Sailor Jupiter, who was flexing her arm.

"Where were you this whole time?" Mars asked irately.

"Umm…I was getting the victims to safety. I'm assuming that I'm some kind of superhero now, so I'm supposed to save people, right?"

Surprised at the response, the other two senshi looked to the corner. Sure enough, in the time that they were tangling with Kijin, Sailor Jupiter indeed had moved all of the victims out of the way.

In an instant, a left uppercut found Sailor Jupiter's jaw. Stumbling backwards, she rubbed her chin. It had been a while since she took a direct hit that hard. Naturally, Kijin was back behind his camera.

"Yes, Yes! HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!"

Sailor Jupiter spit out a mixture of saliva and blood. She drew to her full height and locked Kijin with a scowl. "It is _way_ past time for you to take a seat." Using her right hand, she flipped her ponytail, then swiftly slammed her fist into her left hand.

"Protected by Jupiter! The pretty guardian, who fights for love and courage! I am Sailor Jupiter! I'll make you feel so much regret, it'll leave you numb!"

With Sailor Jupiter gesturing to herself in a threatening way, Kijin didn't waste a moment. " _WHAT A POSE!_ Yes, that is what heroes are made of!" He came close to Jupiter, who backed away. "No, no, you must engage! Show me your skill!" He managed to land a blow to her abdomen. To her shoulder. To her cheek. All the time, he kept taking his pictures.

While Sailor Mars looked on in confusion, Sailor Moon looked with horror. For some reason, Sailor Jupiter wasn't fighting back! She was just backing up, taking shots from Kijin, while also being shot by Kijin. Almost like she was content to let him continue. Sailor Moon's heart raced as she could see the effects of the evil energy just barely beginning to show on Jupiter's face. What could she do to help her teammate? While Sailor Moon contemplated her next move, she continued to watch the one-sided affair.

Then she blinked.

By the time her eyesight recovered from the split-second interruption, an entirely different scene had played out: Sailor Jupiter stood there with Kijin's camera in her left hand. Her right elbow was now extended to the very place where Kijin's face was just a moment ago. The photographer fell backwards, clearly unconscious, and rolled for about 5 meters. Sailor Moon blinked again. Faster than lightning speed, in an instant, it was over.

Jupiter tossed the camera aside, then looked up to the sky. The subtle flickers had caught her attention. She clenched her fists. "So…you came here to cause pain?" A crackling sound caught the attention of the two other senshi. "Everyone here is just a toy for you to play with?" The pair watched as an…appendage… of some sort began to extend from Jupiter's tiara. "Well, how about I break your toys?!" The antenna-like extension began to spark brightly as electric arcs started to flash around the Senshi of Courage. Moon and Mars both took a step back. Sailor Jupiter closed her eyes. As she crossed her arms in front of her body, extending the index and pinky fingers from both of her fists, the electricity around her intensified.

"SUPREME…THUNDER!"

Sailor Jupiter threw her arms open, allowing bolts of electricity to stretch from her body to her targets ringing the field. The lightning strikes instantly destroyed the flashes (and some of the ceiling). As suddenly as the storm began, it was over. Sailors Moon and Mars stood in wide-eyed admiration, ears still ringing from the roar, staring at their new acquisition. The smoke was still rising off of her, yet not a square inch of her fuku was singed, nor was a single hair out of place. Sailor Mars smirked. "I like her!"

Sailor Jupiter looked over to the unconscious body of Kijin. Her face scrunched in anger. Quickly she walked over to him and picked him up by the collar. "That's it for your toys! Now it's your turn!" She reared back an ill-intentioned fist…but couldn't throw the punch. Jupiter looked back. Sailor Moon was holding her arm.

"No, Madi! He's innocent!"

Sailor Jupiter gave an incredulous look. "Have we been watching the same guy?"

"Ok, yes he… _did_ it, but…it wasn't… _him_!"

Sailor Moon grimaced after her stammering, while Jupiter's look morphed to confusion. "You have completely lost me."

"Evil spirit," Mars clarified as she walked over to the camera, fiery ofuda in hand. She placed the talisman on the camera and a cleansing blue flame roared over it. Jupiter dropped Kijin in astoundment.

"What was that?"

"A type of exorcism. We're dealing with an unknown evil," Mars answered. "Sailor Moon has seen it possess many people…and objects."

Jupiter looked down at Kijin. "So, what do we do for him?"

"I think that I know," Sailor Moon said softly while walking over to the photographer. She bowed her head and clasped her hands together. Sailor Jupiter's jaw dropped as Sailor Moon produced the Moon Stick from her hands. Holding it, the Champion of Justice knelt down and gently touched it to Kijin's forehead.

"Moon Healing…Escalation!"

The crescent wand head glowed with a golden light. While Jupiter stared in fascination, Sailor Mars walked over while fiddling with the camera. She began looking Sailor Jupiter up and down. The Brazilian took notice. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Mars answered. "I'm just amazed that that skirt fits over your butt!"

Before the newbie could respond, the glow from the Moon Stick faded. As it did, Kijin's eyes fluttered open. He took a deep breath and sat up energetically, looking right into Sailor Moon's face.

"Umm…," Sailor Moon started, "h-how are you feeling?"

Kijin hesitated, before a broad smile emerged. "Refreshed!" he answered.

Sailor Mars reached over to him and returned the camera. "I think that you'll be ok now. You're gonna have a mess to clean up with the authorities, but at least you're free from the influence that had you."

Kijin looked up and scanned the faces of the three warriors. "The rumors are true!" he exclaimed clearly and calmly. "I can't see your faces. Only light…and beauty!" He gripped his camera. "Please! Let me capture this image!"

The girls all protested immediately. "I'm pretty sure that you have some pictures in there already!" Sailor Moon said.

"Well, actually…" Sailor Mars began under her breath.

At that moment, Sailor Mercury came running into the area. "Guys, we were able to shut down the control room. Did you get to the other pitch?"

Sailor Moon covered her mouth. "Oh no! I forgot! We have to go!" The four girls all turned and ran towards the last field. But after a few steps, Sailor Moon stopped. She turned back to Kijin. "Hey! After a rough day like this, it might be a good time to reconnect with old friends!" She then left, leaving a stunned Kijin sitting alone in the middle of a ruined soccer pitch.

When Sailor Moon arrived at the final location, she saw that the other girls (and Luna) were just inside the door, standing still. She rushed in behind them. "Hey! What are you guys doing just stan…ding…there?" Her heart started pounding, yet it also began to flutter. Her eyes took in the incredible scene alongside of her companions: every one of the large flashes and every remote-controlled camera was destroyed. Each was pierced and shattered with roses.

"No need to thank me." The baritone voice came from high on the opposite wall. Collectively, the group looked in that direction. There, high in the stands, next to a large window, was Tuxedo Mask. "It was my privilege to fight the same battle as you!" He tipped his hat, and exited through the window.

Sailor Moon did not hesitate. She was tired of the games. She was tired of the speculations. There was no more time to contemplate the battles where he fought beside her juxtaposed with his quick exits and lack of explanations. She needed to know who he was and what he wanted! _Now_! The Champion of Justice took off on a dead sprint to the far stands. Leaping them in two bounds, she made her way to the window and out, hot on the trail of the elusive figure.

Sailors Mercury and Mars stared at the window, unsure of what to do. A hard slap to both of their backs simultaneously broke their trains of thought. With pained expressions they turned back to a smiling Sailor Jupiter.

"That was fun! How often do you guys do this?"

While Mars and Mercury tried to figure out their new teammate, Luna looked to the window. "Usagi…what are you doing?"

* * *

Silently, Sailor Moon landed on the ground behind the nice-looking apartment building in a quiet section of Shibaura. It was still only the early evening, so it wasn't very dark out yet. Luckily, there wasn't anyone else within her field of vision. She brought both of her hands to her brooch, grasped it, and gently pulled it off of her person. Light shone off of her as her fuku evaporated in a spray of pink ribbon-like energy. In an instant, Usagi Tsukino was back.

Usagi crept to the front of the building. The big fancy door looked like it should have had a doorman to screen visitors. Lucky for her, there wasn't one. Tentatively, she reached for the door…and it opened. Stepping inside, Usagi wondered what her next move was. She was sure that Tuxedo Mask had come to this building, but he had been able to stay a few blocks ahead of her during the entire chase. Usagi looked to her left and saw a door to a staircase. Was this the right way to go? She shrugged. Might as well take the chance. She went through the door and up the stairs. Reaching the door, she stopped. For some reason, she thought…no, she felt that she needed to go up one more. Obeying that instinct, she went up to the third floor and stepped into the hallway. Head on a swivel, nerves on edge, Usagi looked back and forth at the doors on each side. Was she in the right place? Or was someone going to open their door and ask this intruder what their business was?

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a door did indeed open. Gasping, Usagi wheeled towards the sound…and stared. "N-n-no…way!"

Staring back at her, shirtless, (and apparently a frequenter of the gym,) was the Nigerian assistant ambassador himself, Olugbeja Aiye.

"If you're going to try and follow somebody," his mild tenor chided, "work on being more stealth." He opened his door fully and beckoned the young woman inside. With legs turning to jelly, Usagi nervously stepped over the threshold.

Walking through the spacious living area into the hallway, Usagi admired the collection of masks on the wall. She was trying to find a way to distract herself from the reason she was here. The truth was so overwhelming and such a surprise that she didn't want to acknowledge it. And yet…it kind of wasn't a surprise at all. She took a deep breath.

"So…you're…you're Tuxedo Mask."

Entering the room at the end of the hall, the young man answered, "I'm Olugbeja. When I put the clothes on, then I'm Tuxedo Mask." He looked back at her. "I know that you understand that, Usagi."

Offering a forced, weak chuckle, Usagi moved with unease around the room (it had taken her a moment to realize that she had indeed stepped into his bedroom). Her unease failed to quell as she looked at the decorated tribal mask hanging on the wall. Her eyes fell to the clothes on the chair. The mask's black-and-white color scheme with the small red jewel mirrored that of the tux with the accent rose very well. She reached out and caressed the pocket watch. "How do you always find me?"

Olugbeja fixed her with a gentle look. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I have some sort of ESP when it comes to you." He paused to choose his words carefully. "As if I have a duty to be by your side."

Usagi's heart had skipped a beat at that statement. She turned her eyes to meet his warm gaze. Face flushing, she turned back to the window and kept walking around the room. This view of the Rainbow Bridge had to be one of the best in the city! While transfixed on the scene, Usagi absentmindedly brushed her hand across the desk, knocking something to the ground.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Usagi immediately got onto the floor to pick the objects up. As she rose with the items cradled in her palm, she took a good look at them: they were four stones, each of a different composition. "What are these?"

Olugbeja walked over. He softly cupped his hand under hers. "These are my 'lucky' stones. Carved from the pure minerals of the earth. My parents gave them to me." Using his free hand, he picked them out one-by-one and identified them: "Jadeite. Nephrite. Zoisite. Kunzite."

With fascination, Usagi watched Olugbeja place the rocks back on the desk. The care with which he placed them in a specific arrangement piqued Usagi's curiosity. "Why did you set them there like that?"

Olugbeja pointed to an open spot. "If there was one more stone here, what would this look like?"

Usagi thought for a moment. "Like a 'ku'…or a 'V'."

The Nigerian continued his explanation: "I have a friend here in the US Air Force. In honor of the passing of a fellow pilot, they will fly in what they call a 'missing man formation.'" He removed his finger. "When my parents gave these to me, they said that these stones would keep watch over me. But…" he paused, "…they also told me that one was missing. Therefore the collection can never be complete." He looked into Usagi's eyes. "Something else to search for…endless searching. Always something to chase…but never able to capture."

Usagi now found herself lost. Lost in his sadness, his yearning, his deep, brown eyes. While she didn't fully understand everything that he was saying, she still had no idea that Tuxedo Mask had such depth about him. Stepping into his world seemed dark, mysterious, and foreboding. But it also seemed honorable, virtuous, and full of hope. Voice quivering, she took a step deeper.

"So why are you chasing Imperium? Why do you need it?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm hoping that it will tell me." He stood up and paced past his window. "I don't know what it is, what it looks like, or what it's worth. But I have been dreaming for months about finding it. It's like torture at this point. I just want it to end. No matter the cost. No matter the result." He turned back to Usagi. "When did you become interested in Imperium? When you read the article?" The playful smirk resurfaced. "Or did your cat tell you to find it?"

Usagi huffed. "I haven't been told much. I guess I'm like you. I just feel like I need to find it. Like it has answers." She paused. "Or…it _is_ the answer."

A tone from Olugbeja's phone broke the mood. "Right on time!" He looked at Usagi. "Well, it's time for my superpowered stalker to go. There's a taxi for you downstairs. Naturally, the fare is taken care of."

"Oh…" Usagi looked surprised. Just as she and Olugbeja were making some progress, he was kicking her out. "O…ok." She began to move towards the door.

"Usagi."

Usagi stopped.

Olugbeja softly grabbed her by the shoulders. Usagi's breathing was shallow, her pulse wild. Once again, his touch set off something inside her. And now, with Imperium and stones and masks swirling in her head, she was just…dizzy!

"Don't look so sad!" Olugbeja said, the cheerfulness returning to his voice. "I have things to prepare for work tomorrow. And you did follow me home without my permission! I could have left you outside." He began a light massage. "And since I don't know if you have enough on your metro card to get home, I'm simply doing what I can to keep you safe."

Usagi nodded. "Okay then." She turned back to Olugbeja and gave a small smile. "Thank you for sharing everything with me today." She turned to the hallway and headed for the stairs.

"Hey."

Usagi turned back.

Olugbeja smiled. "I'll see you in the moonlight." Usagi watched as the unmasked warrior quietly closed the door.

Usagi made her way downstairs and into the car. She sighed and let her body sink into the plush seat. It was one of the more comfortable taxis that she had ever ridden in. As the sights of Tokyo passed by during the short trip, Usagi let her overwhelmed brain dump everything onto her consciousness: a new, awesome senshi in Madi, enemies that just wouldn't stop, and an encounter with Tuxedo Mask that was revealing in more ways than one! She sighed and leaned her bun-head against the window. It didn't seem as though rest or relaxation was coming any time soon. But…at least she wasn't alone. Even after a rough day fighting under a cell tower in Azabu-Juban, she and her fellow warriors came together again when needed. Perhaps this was indeed her destiny. And yet, she still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more.

Nearing home, she took a look at her phone. There was a text from Galing wondering what had happened to her. Usagi scrolled, and gasped. There were 5 messages and 3 missed calls from Naru! The girl must have been worried sick with Usagi disappearing through all of the commotion!

The taxi pulled up to the apartment. Usagi thanked the driver, exited the cab, and made her way up the stairs to her apartment. She leaned on the door, face first. Confused, anxious, and totally clueless about what the future held, she asked a question of nobody in particular:

"Is this my life?"

* * *

 **Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:**

 _Can you believe that we have a four person team now? I'm glad that we do because our enemies won't let us rest! A one-of-a-kind treasure and a special event to reveal it? Looks like we're gonna have to crash that party! Will Tuxedo Mask save me a dance...or will he just save me? Join the adventure next time with " **This Masquerade**!" Later!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	20. Act VIII: This Masquerade - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wika::Rei; Madi::Mako; others pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act VIII: This Masquerade**

 _Is there anything more fun that dressing up and going to a fancy party? All those amazing dresses, good food, and dancing the night away! It's even more fun when you sneak in! But, of course, Luna has us here to confront the enemy, and it's a good thing too! More people under mind control? These guys need to try something different! And this time, I have all three of my girls with me! And...Tuxedo Mask! Possessing an innocent princess to do evil? In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!_

 **Part 1**

Sitting comfortably at a small dining table, Usagi and Madi were sharing a good laugh over some homemade sweets.

"Really?" Usagi asked disbelievingly. "The 'Yamato Nadeshiko' character? That's what you want to be?"

Madi smiled. "Well, I'm not saying that's exactly what I want to be. But I do like what it represents: a beautiful, gentle flower, soft-spoken and caring…" A devilish glimmer flashed in her eye. "…who will kick the ass of anyone who threatens her home!"

The girls laughed again. Usagi was especially appreciative for the reprieve for multiple reasons: she was at the end of a brutal 3-day run of nights at the bar and mornings at the café – a run that came directly on the heels of the Kijin Shinokawa incident – and it allowed her to continue to emerge from the haze of confused emotions that she encountered after her discovery of Olugbeja's hidden world. The feelings generated due to the unveiling of Tuxedo Mask's true identity, the mystery surrounding all of the things that he was searching for – especially Imperium – and all punctuated with such a sudden and jarring exit still lingered in her mind.

"Speaking of ass-kickings, what happened with things from Sunday?" Madi asked. "Did we find anything out about these enemies?"

"Yes, we did."

Usagi flinched. She was so wrapped up in her food and conversation that she had completely forgotten that Luna was there with them. The cat emerged from underneath the table and leapt onto the table. Madi broke into a wide grin and rubbed the feline's head. "You are just so cute!"

"Yeah, that wears off." Usagi muttered.

Luna rolled her eyes towards the waitress, then expanded on her answer. "Galing and I did some research on the company that made Mr. Shinokawa's camera flashes. They were manufactured by a company that's a direct subsidiary of Z.O.I. Cyber."

Usagi took a dejected bite out of a cupcake. "Great! Them again!"

"What's Z.O.I. Cyber?" Madi asked.

"A company that has had an active hand in the energy-stealing schemes that we have been trying to stop," Luna answered.

Madi scratched her head. "But…why are they doing this anyway?"

Luna shook her head. "That's still a mystery to all of us. All that they ever say is that it's for their 'Great Ruler'. Anyway, while searching around for more info on this product's connections, we found a Russian company that was heavily promoting the flashes." She cast a strong gaze at Usagi. "This company also strongly endorses the use of the Redline wrist monitor."

Usagi swallowed. "Whoa! Really? What is it?"

"It's a fitness company called 'Never Right'", Luna responded. "They're distribution is small, mostly workout DVDs. Historically, they haven't done much outside of Eastern Europe. But in the past few months they've been pushing into Asia and Latin America."

"Hey! I've heard of them!" Madi exclaimed. "I once saw one of their DVDs at a gym."

"Really! Did anything stand out to you?" Luna inquired.

Madi looked a bit uncomfortable. "Nothing that I wanted to talk about at the time. But now that I know that I'm not the only person getting these weird visions…" She looked at Usagi and Luna. "When I saw it, I got this vague image in my head: foot-races, arm wrestling, a confident smile. The feeling was weird…but…kinda comforting." She covered her face in embarrassment. "I'm sorry! That makes absolutely no sense!"

"No, no! It's all good!" Luna reassured her. "It's not a coincidence that all of you girls are having these feelings! We just need something to pull it all together."

Usagi twirled her hair. "Z.O.I., Never Right, and Jade House. They're all connected."

"I almost forgot to mention, that push into Asia includes the release of a new sports drink," Luna continued. "Galing was able to find some information on that as well. There's no sign of an official name for the product or a shipping date, but we'll have to keep alert!"

Usagi laughed. "Hey! I'm always alert!"

Luna gave Usagi a side-eye. "Oh, really? So where was your tiara when you went running to chase after Mr. Mask?"

"Uhh…" Usagi cringed. "Well…like you told me: once I de-transform it goes away! So…we don't have to worry about it!"

"Right…" Luna deadpanned. Madi was greatly entertained by the exchange. Luna approached the newcomer. "Have the girls told you about The Negaverse?"

"Oh, yeah! Pretty cool that you have your own private investigators…even if they don't know that they are!" Madi pulled out her phone. "Anything interesting today?"

"Take a look," Luna invited. "Does anything stand out to you?"

Madi scrolled for a bit, then backtracked. "Hey, Usagi, weren't you talking about something called Imperium?" Usagi quickly hopped up and ran to read over Madeira's shoulder.

The news of the day was that the jewelry company Kingdom of D would be having a huge masquerade ball that evening at a villa near Narita Airport. The guest list read as a who's-who of the most influential people in Tokyo. Rumors were that the company would be revealing one of the most unique treasures in existence! Naturally, this rumor (along with a tip sent to the website) led to speculation that Imperium would play a big role in the night's festivities.

Usagi pondered the words of the article. "I guess that we'd better figure out a way to get in there!"

"That is, unless you have something better to do tonight!" Luna quipped.

Usagi kept her pursed lips closed. As a matter of fact, she had tried to make plans with Olugbeja. She called last night while heading to the bar, but he indicated that he'd already made plans and wouldn't be available. So, unfortunately, she was free tonight.

Madi switched her focus to Luna. "Uhh…how are we gonna get into a party for the rich and famous of Tokyo?"

"Leave that to me!" Luna said with confidence. "You just make sure that you have a nice dress to wear!" Usagi chuckled under her breath. It appeared that Luna had rediscovered her swagger in the past few days.

Beaming, Madeira answered. "Hey! I'm always up for some fun!" Her demeanor shifted to a more thoughtful posture. "But, this whole 'senshi' thing…this is like a…calling. Right? Like there's something bigger than these day-to-day missions? We have…a reason…" As she trailed off, she turned to the blonde over her shoulder. "Usagi, do you ever wonder WHY you do this?"

Usagi floated a careful look towards Luna. "A lot more lately."

Luna closed her eyes and sighed. "You're doing fine Usagi. All of you girls are. Don't lose heart!" She turned a warm gaze to the girls. "As you all say when you're inspired to speak: you fight for love. Our enemy fights with the explicit purpose to destroy love. That's a danger that regular authorities can't deal with." She sat up straight. "Our fight is noble…and necessary. Don't ever doubt that. Besides, I'm a part of this too! As long as you're out there, I'll be by your side!"

Usagi smiled. "Thanks, Luna."

Madi clasped her hands and held them to the side of her face. " _Awww_! That's so precious! I'm really happy to be with you guys! Whatever comes our way, I'm ready to take it on!"

Usagi gave Madi a knowing look. "Believe me, there will never be a dull moment!"

* * *

Foot tapping impatiently on the blue and white Persian rug, mouth full of chicken tempura and udon, Usagi stared at the door to Galing's bathroom. "What is taking her so long?"

Wicapiwakan shot her an amused look. "I'm sure your friend Naru has said that while you fiddled with your hair before!"

Usagi sent back an evil look. But as annoyed with that answer as she was, she had to admit that Wika looked good saying it! The raven-haired beauty was sporting a purple halter dress with a Sioux-styled black-and-yellow necklace. The look was topped off with a pair of black wedges.

Luna leapt onto the glass top of the marble table. "I'm sure that Madi will be out shortly. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what _you're_ doing!"

Usagi smiled. "Oh, don't worry! As soon as Galing gets us in the door, I'll be ready to go!"

"And I certainly wish that there was another way to do this!" Galing responded while continuing her work on the computer. "I'm not a fan of underhanded tactics. It feels like a lurk!"

Wika kicked the package next to her feet. "Hey, I got us a camera. It won't be a total loss for the website. We can get some legit pictures for Mr. Umino!"

That statement did little to comfort the genius, currently clad in a simple silver tea-length dress and matching slippers. With so many important people scheduled to show up at the Kingdom of D event, security was on high alert. The only way to get in as a non-invitee seemed to be to apply for a press pass. Some reluctant hacking by Galing revealed that one small operation had a handful of the limited passes earmarked: The Negaverse. By changing the names listed in the database (and whipping up some quick, fake business cards), they would be able to get inside.

As the Aussie continued to type, the bathroom door finally swung open. "Sorry guys! I haven't worn this dress in about…nine…months…" Madi trailed off as she recognized that everyone in the room was staring at her.

"Damn," Wika spit out in admiration.

"Flaunt it if you've got it, right?" Galing added.

Usagi couldn't even speak. The way that the white and gold mermaid style dress hugged Madi's frame was jaw-dropping. Teamed with her matching handbag, long gloves, and 8cm pumps, she was sure to garner a lot of attention. Madi finally smiled. "Thanks, guys!"

Luna turned her attention to the current oddball. "So, are we going with 'slacker glamour' for the party today?"

Usagi giggled. "Nope! Saved the best for last!" She put her food down, pulled out her brooch, and raised it to the ceiling.

"Moon Power! Turn me into…a beautiful princess!"

The brightness around Usagi temporarily blinded everyone in the room. Once their vision returned, they now saw Usagi, hair flowing down her back, dressed in a fancy pink princess gown with all of the trimmings. The girls stared in wonder.

"Whoa! That's cool!" Madi marveled.

"A _touch_ of overkill?" Wika snarked.

Usagi pointed menacingly at Wika with her frilly folding fan. "Look here! I get one chance to be a princess for a night! I'm gonna take full advantage of it!"

Luna swallowed. "Usagi, you can't hold that form from here to the villa and continue all night!"

"Don't worry, Luna! I know that!" Usagi closed her eyes. Soft light shone off of her as the dress and all of its accessories faded away. "I'm gonna wait until we're right there before I change!" She reclaimed her meal. "Until then, I'm gonna build up my strength!"

"Well, ladies, you can call the car," Galing said with a loud keystroke. "We are all set." She turned to her companions. "Madi, if anyone asks, your name is 'Lita' and you're an editor at The Negaverse."

The Brazilian bombshell flashed a thumbs-up. "Got it!"

Galing continued. "Pheta, you're our photographer and I'll act as reporter." She paused. "That leaves only one problem…" She and the rest of the group turned to Usagi. "How are we going to get you in?"

Usagi returned a blank stare. "Hey, I've got my disguise figured out! I'm out of ideas for the day!"

The group sat quietly for a moment until a voice piped up. "I've got an idea." The rest of the group looked to their newcomer, Madi. "It'll require a little bit of acting on everybody's part, but it might work!"

* * *

With the entire group now clad in their festive evening wear, the girls stood on the side of the road, just outside of visual range of the front entrance of the villa. The three-story mansion lay at the end of the driveway and walkway extending from the front gate, and the entire property was surrounded by an iron-wrought fence.

Luna stepped forward. "Ok, ladies! I'll hang around the gate and keep an eye out for Mr. Umino. We don't need him asking why you all have his company's passes. Once you're in, I'll get inside the perimeter and keep watch."

Madi rubbed her hands together. "Sound's good!"

Wika shot Madi a wary look. "Are you sure about this plan of yours?"

"Oh, don't worry! We'll make it work!" the amazon responded.

"From what I can surmise, it's our best bet to get everyone in," Galing concurred. "As long as Usagi is ready for her part." The group turned around to find Usagi, in all of her princess glory, checking herself out in the mirror of her compact.

"Usagi?" Luna called.

Usagi continued to primp.

"USAGI!" everyone yelled.

The blonde came to attention. "What?"

Through groans and snickers, Wika spoke: "We're counting on you to know your part! We've got one shot at this! Focus and get ready!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Usagi said, giving a mock salute.

"I saw a small grove of trees near the gate when we rode past. I think that Usagi can wait there until Luna's signal," Galing said.

"I take it that everyone can hear me ok over your communicators?" The girls nodded at Luna's question. The cat took a deep breath. Coaching Usagi through battles was one thing. And even as they added Galing, Wiki, and Madi, there still hadn't been the need for mass coordination of efforts. But now? Now there were four senshi. Four distinct personalities, four sets of strengths and weaknesses, and they had to learn how to play off of each other immediately. Tonight was going to be a huge test…for everyone! With resolve, she gave the mission launch command: "Let's take our places!"

Luna stealthily scampered towards the entrance gate. It seemed like many of the people had already entered the compound as there was not a line of people or cars, only a few parties occasionally passing the checkpoint. As the girls approached, Usagi peeled off and hid in the grove. She flashed a big smile and double peace-signs as her companions turned and headed towards the checkpoint. Madeira took a deep breath as she finally came face-to-face with the security guard.

"Good evening, ladies! Who are you here with?"

"We're the report staff for The Negaverse!" Madi boomed. "We've got three passes and we need to get in there in a hurry!"

"Yes, yes," the guard answered. "Just give me a moment to find your passes." As he began to dig through his papers, Luna, spying from behind a stone pillar, made the call:

"Usagi…now!"

The guard located the media passes assigned to The Negaverse and handed them to the girls. As he was going over the procedures for media members, Madi caught a glimpse of Usagi coming up the walkway in her frilly regalia. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Her squeal interrupted the guard's briefing.

"OH MY GOODNESS! It's HER!"

While the guard shot a confused look towards the newcomer, Galing and Wika immediately ran over to her. Galing began to ask her questions pertaining to her reason for showing up tonight, while Wika took picture after picture. Madi jumped on her phone, confirming that 'she' had shown up and that they had the interview. The chattering foursome passed the gate.

The guard asked courteously, but firmly, "Excuse me, but who are you?"

Madi turned towards him with attitude. "Are you serious!? That's the princess of Zamunda!"

The guard gave Madi a strange look. "Umm, Ms…Lita…is it? I have a list here and I really need to-"

"Have you even been paying attention to the news? She finally got to visit one of the few countries in the world that have diplomatic relations with her kingdom! She's been cooped up in the embassy for two days!" Madi glared menacingly. "And I have a story to get published!" Madi turned in a huff and followed the other three as they kept up their act. The security guard scratched his head as the group walked away.

Catching up to the others, Madi was having trouble containing her laughter. Usagi looked back and smiled. "That was awesome, Madi!"

Wika continued to take pictures. "I can't believe that actually worked. What the hell is 'Zamunda' anyway?"

Giggling, Madi replied, "It's from a really old American movie!"

"Well, we're not out of the woods yet," Galing stated cautiously. "If he wants to, he could call some backup."

"Oh, relax, Galing!" Usagi said cheerfully. "Tonight's gonna be a blast! Let's get inside and see what's going on!"

"Let's not forget, this is a working trip, ladies," a feline voice buzzed in the girls' ears. "Keep your eyes open for signs of the enemy."

Usagi groaned. "Yes, Nanny No-Fun!"

Upon reaching the doors, Wicapiwakan took a peek inside. "Looks like the masquerade is in full swing. We might wanna put our masks on too." She went into her handbag and pulled out a purple and gold Venetian styled mask. Madi had a Bohemian butterfly pattern matching her dress. Galing's was silver and white with a decorative feather and a stick for the classic effect. After hers was attached, Wika took a look at her colleagues to ensure their readiness. Her eyes stopped on one person.

" _Seriously_?!"

Madi and Galing looked back at Usagi. Now adorning her head was a pink bunny mask, clearly meant for children. The dichotomy between the royal elegance of her dress and the silliness of the juvenile accessory made both the Aussie and the Brazilian laugh out loud.

Usagi shrugged her shoulders. "It was the only mask that I had!"

With Wika shaking her head, the quartet turned their attention to the spectacle before them. The ballroom was immense. Extravagantly decorated tables surrounded the perimeter, separated from the massive drink bar by tall, white columns and arches. Dominating the center of the space was a glimmering black marble dance floor. The live mini orchestra played to the left of the floor. At the very back of the room were the twin staircases leading to the guest suites.

As the ladies moved towards the dance floor, they took in the tuxes, suits, ballgowns, and masks of the invited guests. "So, this is the cream-of-the-crop as far as Tokyo goes?" Wika asked. She then turned to Usagi. "Anybody here that I could identify?"

Usagi shook her head. "No one that I recognize."

"I do see a couple of politicians," Galing chimed in, able to ID some of the people who neglected to wear a mask. "And a telecom CEO and her husband. I'm sure that they were on the guest list."

"Cool. So, now what do we do?" Madi asked.

"Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious," came Luna's voice.

"Like that girl going up the staircase?" Madi responded.

The other three looked up to see a young lady in a rose-patterned white gown heading up one of the staircases overlooking the ballroom. She was being followed by two men, one of them holding a mysterious box.

"I'm pretty sure that that's 'Princess D'," Galing answered. "The heir of the Kingdom of D jewelry empire. And it looks like they have the treasure with them." As they watched, Princess D turned her head to gaze at the crowd below her. Usagi poorly stifled a laugh.

Madi looked to Usagi. "What was that for?"

Usagi giggled, focused on the princess' big, opaque, awkward eyeglasses. "If you knew Umino, you'd understand!" Usagi continued to stare, admiring her tiny tiara, adorable necklace, red teardrop earrings…

Usagi's heart skipped a beat.

She looked at the tiara and necklace again. Sure enough, they boasted a familiar looking reddish stone, identical in composition to the earrings. "Luna," she began nervously, "I don't think that all of those jewels from Osa-P disappeared!"

The girls turned to Usagi in alarm. "The stone from your first fight?" Wika asked. "It's here?"

Usagi nodded towards Princess D, who was now disappearing behind the door at the top of the stairs. "I think that she's wearing something similar."

Madi harrumphed. "Well, whatever we're gonna do, we need a plan." Her eyes swept the room, eventually landing on the bar. She smirked. "Why don't we get something to get the creative juices flowing?"

"C'mon," Wika said as the girls began to follow Madi, "I like a good vintage, but we might have something a bit more important to take care of here!"

"Yeah! And you have to be careful with the punch at these parties!" Usagi added. "Once I had a drink that I thought was juice, and spent the rest of the night totally tipsy!"

Galing covered her mouth. "Oh, my!"

Madi snickered. "Lightweight!" She arrived at the punch bowls…and discovered that there was no alcohol available. Instead, there was a banner on the display that the girls read:

"Enjoy the non-alcoholic punch and smoothies provided tonight! The flavors offered are those of a new sports drink coming to Japan! Don't miss this investment opportunity!"

Madi looked to where the bartenders had the blenders on full blast. They were indeed making smoothies with the brightly colored drink before them. She sighed. "Ah, well. Better than nothing." She found the nearest frosted punch bowl and reached for the ladle…when a hand grabbed her wrist. She looked over at Wika. "Did you not read the part that said 'non-alcoholic?'"

Wicapiwakan's violet-lavender eyes surveyed the bar. "Something feels off about this. I'm really disturbed right now." She released Madi's arm. "These aren't just regular drinks." She turned to the group. "Let's split up and take a look around. We have our comms, so just holler if you see anything else that's strange. We'll meet back here in a few minutes." Clearly uncomfortable with the seriousness of the situation, the girls exchanged nods and spread out amongst the crowd.

Usagi's wandering took her back towards the dance floor. The music began to swell and some of the couples began to venture out onto the floor. Usagi sighed as she looked around. Almost a full month as Sailor Moon and sometimes she still didn't know what to look for. She looked down and fiddled with her dress. It looked great! But…wasn't the most comfortable. As she began to raise her field of vision again, something caught her attention: a gloved hand…being held out to her. Her eyes followed the arm to the shoulder and finally to a very familiar face. She would have gasped, but she was breathless.

"I've seen so many of your other skills…let's see how you are on the dance floor!" Speechless, Usagi placed her hand in his. The young Nigerian, clothed in that familiar dinner suit ( _sans_ top hat) smiled as he led Usagi out on the floor. All that she could do was follow. Her eyes were fixated on his face. He was wearing a different kind of mask today: a white one, cut in a thin flyaway style, framing his eyes beautifully. It…it just looked… _right_ …on him. Olugbeja wrapped his right arm firmly and gently around her waist. Usagi instinctively placed her left hand onto his shoulder. He gripped her right hand with his left. Pausing, he raised his eyebrow. "Do you know how to waltz?"

Usagi, mouth still agape, shook her head.

Olugbeja chuckled. "Neither do I. But I'm pretty good at keeping rhythm." He tightened his hold. "Just follow my lead."

Once again breathing deeply, Usagi did just that. The arm around her waist gave her balance and stability, the hand holding hers led her through graceful motions, the combination of the two allowed her feet to move in perfect harmony with her partner.

"That's a different look for you! How do you fit that humungous thing into those tiny little closets?"

Usagi blushed at Olugbeja's musings. "H-how did you know it was me?"

Olugbeja laughed while leading her through a turn. "It's not hard to pick you out just because you have new clothes and a different hairstyle." He brought her close again and locked onto her eyes. "I know your face."

The gaze that they shared, the rhythmic flow of their bodies, the closeness, the sudden intimacy of this moment; all of it washed over Usagi like an overwhelming, slow-moving tsunami. All of the other couples on the floor faded away. Even the music became ethereal and distant. Her mind was trapped somewhere between a triad of flashback, hallucination, and reality. This sensation was…stronger than familiar… _it happened_! _This_ dance! There was no coincidence. Her strange feelings, his searchings and yearnings, her instant connection to the other senshi…these were all threads of a tapestry woven some time before. But she still couldn't get the puzzle pieces to fit! What was missing? _WHAT_?!

Heart racing, Usagi snapped back to the present. For a split second, she could have sworn that she'd seen the ribbons of her illusion trying to unravel from her left hand. She had to keep it together. Her dance partner looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

Usagi cleared her throat. "Uhh…yeah. I just…uhh…"

"You looked like you were somewhere else for a moment." He smirked. "I hope that dancing with me isn't _that_ unpleasant."

"It's…something," Usagi responded through a weak smile. "I just…I can't…" She puffed her cheeks in hesitant frustration. She looked him in the eye. "I just feel so… _strange_ when I'm around you!"

Olugbeja reached out and took Usagi by the chin. He brought his face close to hers. "I don't think that's a negative, do you?"

The song ended, punctuated with polite applause. Olugbeja took his hand from her chin. He then brought his other hand – the one holding Usagi's – towards himself and gave her hand a kiss. He then pulled her close, interlocking elbows, and walked her off of the floor. Once they reached the bar Usagi slid her arm out. She turned a shy look to Olugbeja. "Guess we got to hang out tonight after all, huh?"

Olugbeja laughed. "Interesting how things work out, isn't it?" He reached for the same ladle that Madi did and poured himself a drink. "You'll have to let me know how you got in here one day! I'm sure that's a hell of a story!" He nodded his head towards the side of the room opposite of the band. "I'm going to head back to work."

As Olugbeja walked back to his previous spot, Usagi was once again left to stew in her feelings. At least she was getting used to it, but she still needed to understand the connection between him, herself, and this seemingly never-ending fight…against…the evil…the evil that Wika felt from the drinks!

"Usagi!"

Usagi wheeled to see Galing and Madi walking towards her from the back of the hall. She turned her head back towards Olugbeja, but he was already out of her sight, lost in the crowd. She came back to her friends. "What's up?"

"Glad to see that you're working as hard as we are!" Madi teased. "I'm sure that we'll find what we're looking for while nestled safely in the arms of a handsome man!"

Usagi rolled her eyes at Madi. Galing looked concerned.

"Hey guys, where are you?" came Wika's voice over the comms.

"We're over by the bar, Pheta," Galing answered.

"Stay there. It looks like the princess is heading down."

The three ladies by the bar looked up at the staircase, and sure enough Princess D was descending, heading towards the landing overseeing the dance floor. The crowd erupted into applause as everyone began to pack in on the dance floor. Usagi also crept closer.

"Usagi!" Galing hissed.

"I just wanna get a better look," Usagi answered back. Catching up with the back of the throng, Usagi took a good look at Princess D. Her heart sank as she saw that the princess, like Mrs. Osaka a month before, was now adorned with more of the jewelry that just screamed "Yamana Ruby." Wika reached the other girls at the bar just as Princess D hushed the crowd and began speaking.

"Greetings! It is a great honor to be here in Tokyo tonight! This evening promises to be unforgettable! Soon we will uncover the Kingdom of D's most mysterious treasure. You will all bear witness to its glory! But first, I must give thanks to our sponsors for tonight: Z.O.I. Cyber for securing this wonderful venue!"

Galing bit her lip.

"Never Right Fitness for providing all of our refreshments at the bar!"

Madi's muscles tensed.

"And the jewelry that I'm wearing, part of the one-of-its-kind Yamana Collection, exclusively available through Kingdom of D, has had a special blessing placed on it through the Jade House of India!"

Wika slowly reached for her pin.

"And finally, all praise is ultimately due to the only one who could make all of this work…" the princess flashed a sinister smile, "…our Great Ruler!"

The crowd began to murmur with a mixture of nervousness and amusement. A few seconds later, the grumbling turned to oohs and aahs as the Yamana jewelry on Princess D's body began to sparkle. Some laughter and applause broke out at what appeared to be a cool magic trick. Usagi was entering full panic mode.

"Luna!?" she called through a strained voice.

"Girls! Look for a way to get outside, then we can regroup!"

"We copy," Wika replied. But in the instant that she answered Luna's command, the room went deathly silent. The crowd was completely mesmerized, staring at Princess D, eyes glazed over. This caused all four of the girls to freeze in place too. Just as the victims were forced to do, they turned their attention to Princess D.

"Open your subconscious to this message from our Great Ruler," Princess D began. "There is a phenomenal power lurking in Tokyo. Its name is Imperium: the legendary silver crystal. This gem holds world-changing ability, and it is imperative that this artifact finds the loving grasp of our Great Ruler. You must use your influence. Convince every man, woman, girl, and boy that they must find Imperium! Leave no square meter of this city unsearched! This is the first, final, and perpetual command! Imperium must be found!"

Usagi, terrified, didn't know what to think. What was about to happen in Tokyo? Were brainwashed hordes going to be combing the streets like zombies searching for an unknown gem? Was this evil going to overtake the city, bending every neighborhood to its will in order to gain its desire? Unconsciously, Usagi took a step back from the crowd. Princess D's head immediately snapped in that direction. Usagi froze…and started to sweat.

"Guardians?" Princess D growled.

"Damn it, Usagi!" Wika chided through clenched teeth.

Usagi waved her hands in front of her face. "Umm…Guardian? No, no, no! I…uh…I'm just stretching! Have to get ready to find that crystal, right?"

The Yamana jewelry began to sparkle violently. A dark red aura emanated from the princess. "Guardians…protected by the planets!"

Usagi couldn't keep her cool anymore (not that she was doing that great of a job in the first place). She turned and ran to her friends, losing her princess illusion along the way.

"THE GUARDIANS ARE AFTER IMPERIUM!" The mad princess thundered. "SEIZE THEM!"

The entire party, packed onto the dance floor, turned around to face the girls, eyes shimmering red. The heroines looked behind them to where they came in. Red-eyed security guards were blocking the doors.

"Luna, they've bailed us up in here!" Galing shouted over the comm.

"Girls! To your right should be doors leading to the courtyard under the big balcony. Can you get there?"

Usagi didn't need any prompting. She took off towards the doors, twin ponytails flying, as the other three followed. Upon reaching the unguarded doors, Usagi grabbed the handle…and discovered that it was locked. The girls were still on their way over when Usagi informed them, "No good!"

Usagi, Galing, Wika, and Madi looked around. The crowd was slowly closing in on them, the eerie red glow from their eyes highlighting the expressionless features of their faces. Above the crowd's low murmuring came a chilling command:

"Sacrifice them for the glory of the Dark Kingdom!"

* * *

 _Don't be a crybaby! The Radiant Sailor Moon is coming right back!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	21. Act VIII: This Masquerade - Part 2

_**Real-Life Intrusion:**_

I am in the midst of my PhD study. At times, this requires all of my attention to be paid to my work and not my writing. Therefore, expect delays in the chapters as I take care of my first priority. But, DON'T WORRY! I'm having too much fun with this story to abandon it! Besides...we still haven't gotten to the good part! Thanks for sticking with me!

* * *

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wika::Rei; Madi::Makoto; one more pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act VIII - This Masquerade**

 _Wake up, sleepyheads! It's time for more of The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2**

Usagi stood petrified at the locked door with Galing, Wika, and Madi a few meters away. All of them were focused on the crowd slowly moving towards them by Princess D's command. As the brainwashed mass lurched in their direction, the jewel heiress was now descending the staircase to join her acolytes.

"Capture them! No one shall have Imperium but the Dark Kingdom!"

"I'm really getting tired of this 'fight the good guys' and 'drain the energy' game!" Usagi howeled.

Wika looked at the crowd and the approaching Princess D with curiosity. "Usagi, don't their faces usually look…worse when their being sucked dry by the enemy?"

The other girls also took a good look at the surrounding faces. It was obvious that the normal wear and tear that Usagi was used to seeing wasn't evident. "That's weird," she uttered. "They're being controlled, but not drained?"

"I would assume that means that their mission today is not to steal energy," Sailor Mercury deduced. "That's just a guess. Nevertheless, they still mean to do us harm."

Usagi turned and violently jiggled the door handle again. "There has to be a way to open this door!"

Madi sighed. "Guess I have to do everything here!" Without further hesitation, Madi sprinted towards the door (despite wearing the 8cm pumps), launched herself in the air, and extended her leg in a flying taekwondo-styled kick. The impact of her foot at the meeting of the double doors caused them to fly open, clearing the way for the girls' escape.

Wika shot a sly look to Galing. "That's a bad girl!"

The girls ran out of the ballroom and closed the doors behind them. Standing in the courtyard, bathed in the moonlight, the girls all took out their transformation tools:

"Mercury power…"

"Mars power…"

"Jupiter power…"

"Moon Prism power…"

"MAKE…UP!"

The brilliance of the four individual flashes of light coalesced into one dazzling discharge of color and power. As the luminosity faded, the four senshi were revealed in their battle-ready glory. Sailor Moon touched her forehead. Her tiara was indeed back.

"Girls!" Luna's voice came screeching over the comms. "You're all alright?"

"Yeah," Sailor Moon answered. "Now we just have to-"

Her train of thought was interrupted as the double doors were again victimized by a vicious kick. With an intense look on her face, Princess D walked out onto the courtyard as the crowd waited inside. Sailor Moon clasped her hands together, trying to think of what to do with the Princess. As her thinking continued, a bright light began to shine from her hands. The other girls and Princess D stared at the glow. From Sailor Moon's hands, the glimmering Moon Stick emerged. The Champion of Justice looked shocked.

"Huh? Why did it…?"

"So," Princess D hissed, "you _do_ have impressive power! It's no wonder why you want Imperium! But it belongs to US!" She sprinted towards Sailor Moon. The twin-ponytailed warrior flailed the Moon Stick in Princess D's direction.

"C"mon! C'mon! What did you come out for?!"

Sailor Moon looked up. Princess D was almost on top of her. Suddenly, she found herself violently thrown to the ground…but…it wasn't the princess on top of her.

"Were you just gonna let her run you down like that?" an irate Mars asked. Sailor Moon lifted her head. Princess D was now standing about 5 meters away. Based on Sailor Jupiter's body position, she had just thrown the princess to her current location.

Sailor Moon looked at her with a mix of dread and pity. "We have to get that jewelry off of her!"

"But we need to get you to safety first," Mercury responded. "She's locked in on you now." Her eyes scanned up. Overhanging the courtyard was the second-floor balcony. "Can you get up there?"

Nodding, Sailor Moon got to her feet. "But, what about the people inside?"

"There are four of us here," Mars answered. "We can do two jobs at once."

At that moment, Princess D renewed her attack on Sailor Moon. "Give in to us!"

"Sailor Moon! Jump over here!" Jupiter commanded. Without thinking, Sailor Moon took a couple of steps and leapt towards Sailor Jupiter. The Senshi of Courage laced her fingers together, catching Sailor Moon's foot.

"What are you…AAAUGH!" Sailor Jupiter catapulted Sailor Moon towards the balcony. As the Champion of Justice landed with a thud, Sailor Jupiter turned to mock Princess D, who was now running towards her.

"Yeah! Now you gotta deal with…" Jupiter's jaw dropped as Princess D easily leapt over her, continuing on towards the balcony. One jump later, and she was next to Sailor Moon. "Oh, you gotta be…!" Sailor Jupiter turned to follow.

Sailors Mars and Mercury watched as the trio disappeared into the second-floor master bedroom. They then turned their attention to the door and the crowd still staring out at them. "So…do you have a plan?" Mars asked Mercury.

"How to subdue an entire crowd without hurting them? That's a new one," Mercury replied.

Mars huffed. There were far too many people to try to exorcise. "So, what does that computer of yours do?" she inquired.

"I'm not sure how it will help, but…" Mercury touched her ear and activated her visor. "I can see that their body temperatures are well over 37°. Some even approaching 40°. Maybe if something can chill them it will shock their systems and break the spell?"

Mars stroked her chin in thought. "You got anything other than that mist to use?"

Mercury's eyes fell. "I'm…well…I'm not sure."

"Don't worry about it," Sailor Mars reassured her. "Use that mist to get us in. I'll handle the rest."

* * *

Sailor Moon had been reduced to sprinting, hopping, dashing…anything to keep some distance between her and Princess D. While she was dodging, Princess D was tearing up the spacious bedroom in pursuit. For her part, Sailor Jupiter was getting frustrated with the princess' speed.

Landing on the bed, back against the wall, Sailor Moon shook the Moon Stick again. "What is going on?!" By the time her eyes panned up, two furious hands were around her throat.

"Why do you want Imperium?! TELL ME!" Sailor Moon tried to pry the princess' hands off of her throat, but the young woman's grip was like iron. Fortunately for her, Jupiter came up behind Princess D, putting her in a full nelson, and swinging her off of the bed. Princess D nimbly landed on her feet.

The towering warrior looked back at Sailor Moon. "Ok, seriously, are you gonna fight her, or what?"

"Look! This thing has never come out by itself before! I don't know what's going on!" Sailor Moon looked at Princess D. For someone supposedly spoiled by an affluent upbringing, she had a very athletic and toned body. Enhanced by the evil energy, it was no wonder why she was a formidable opponent. But the jewelry draped on her body remained a reminder that the Princess was a victim too. She communicated this to Jupiter. "Plus, we can't hurt her! She's being controlled! We've got to pin her down and remove that jewelry!"

Jupiter huffed. "Evil jewelry possession! I really hope we meet who's responsible so that I can punch them in the face!"

Tired of the conversation, Princess D lunged at Sailor Moon again. Sailor Jupiter caught the attacker by the wrist, throwing her towards the center of the room. At the last moment, Princess D swung her legs around Jupiter's neck, locking her ankles together. Using the momentum from Sailor Jupiter's throw, Princess D torqued her body in mid-air, flipping Jupiter off of the bed and across the floor with an impressive hurricanrana.

With her muscle temporarily incapacitated, Sailor Moon dashed back onto the balcony. She looked down below, but Mars and Mercury must have been inside the ballroom. The senshi turned around just in time to be lifted into the air by her collar.

"Only the Great Ruler can possess Imperium! Any who interfere must _DIE_!"

Princess D punctuated that statement by tossing Sailor Moon over the railing. With the Moon Stick clutched in her left hand, a panicked Sailor Moon fixed her gaze on the grass below, looking for a safe landing spot. Suddenly, she felt a strong hand grab her right wrist. With a small smile, she looked up expecting to see Sailor Jupiter. Instead, she came face-to-face with her dinner suit-clad, masked admirer. He had temporarily dispatched of Princess D, and was now hanging on to the railing. While the struggle to maintain his grasp was evident, Olugbeja tightened his clasp on Sailor Moon's wrist. "Hold on!" he ordered as he prepared his action. Sailor Moon's eyes widened at the result of his strain. In one forceful motion he threw the Champion of Justice back up onto the balcony. However, the maneuver forced him to lose his grip on the railing. As soon as Sailor Moon landed, she snapped around just in time to see his hand disappear from her line of sight.

"TUXEDO MA-!"

Princess D reappeared, jumping on Sailor Moon's back. "You're hard to kill!" She growled.

In an instant, Princess D found herself thrown back towards the bed. "And you're a real pain in the ass!" a revitalized Sailor Jupiter yelled.

As Jupiter reengaged with Princess D, Sailor Moon ran to peer over the railing, heart pounding as she anticipated what she might see (she wouldn't have been as worried if he was in his masked form, but in that previous moment, he seemed more…vulnerable). Mysteriously, she saw nothing.

"What? Where did he go?"

* * *

Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury leapt into a clearing. Mercury's mist had kept the single-minded masses at bay while they set up their plan. "Alright," Mercury said, "are you ready to do this?"

Sailor Mars was already concentrating on her power. She brought the tips of her index fingers together and the familiar sparks once again appeared.

"Fire soul…IGNITE!"

The fireball flew towards an adjacent table covered in a deep pile of tablecloths snatched from other tables in the room. Upon landing, the pile exploded into towering flames. Within seconds, the sprinkler system activated, dropping cold water on everyone gathered there. Monotone droning turned to confused chatter and screeches about ruined clothes. The mist began to disperse as the crowd quickly found its way out of the ballroom.

The Senshi of Passion wiped the water from her face. "Well, that wasn't too tough! Usagi should have had us to help her from the start!" She looked back to Mercury. The Aussie appeared to be studying her palm. "Um…you ok?" Mercury didn't respond. "Galing?"

"Oh!" Sailor Mercury replied with a start. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. You just looked lost there for a minute." The soaked senshi looked around the ballroom. Their eyes fell on the staircase to the second floor. "C'mon. Let's see what's going on with the others."

* * *

Sailor Moon landed hard on her tailbone. Though Princess D had been unable to land any clean attacks, she was still running the senshi ragged. Sailor Moon was preparing to get back to her feet when Princess D once again eluded Sailor Jupiter and leapt at her. Yelping, the senshi of the Moon closed her eyes and held the Moon Stick up in a feeble defensive position. Carefully opening one eye, she looked to see if Jupiter had made another amazing save. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of Princess D suspended in the air. Upon further inspection, the brainwashed hostess seemed to be resting on a translucent dome being projected by the Moon Stick!

"What is this?!" Princess D demanded.

"I don't know!" Sailor Moon responded.

Sailor Jupiter recovered. "Come back here!"

Princess D wheeled around to her. "Maybe I'll try my luck with you!" Sailor Jupiter braced as Princess D hopped off of the barrier and took an ominous step towards her. Just as the Princess' muscled tensed to charge, an object streaked in from the direction of the balcony, knocking Princess D's glasses off of her face. As they fell into the lush carpet, a beautiful, red rose landed next to them.

The Moon Stick's barrier dissolved as soon as Sailor Moon recognized what happened. Her eyes shot to the balcony expecting to see a familiar figure, but there was no one.

The princess – who Sailors Moon and Jupiter had to admit was very cute without the specs – began to wander around with her arms extended away from her body. "Wha-what happened? Where are my glasses?!"

Sailor Jupiter's face was a mix of annoyance and incredulousness. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!" With the vision-impaired opponent helpless, Jupiter calmly walked behind her and placed her in a rear naked choke.

Sailor Moon was apoplectic. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Princess D clawed at the powerful arm that had her neck in a vise for a few seconds before going limp. Sailor Jupiter gently laid her down on the floor. "Don't worry, she'll be ok."

Concerned for Princess D's well-being, Sailor Moon instructed Jupiter to help her remove the Yamana jewelry from the princess' body. Mars and Mercury walked in just as Sailor Moon was using the Moon Stick to cleanse Princess D from the evil influence.

"Are you two alright?" Mercury asked.

Jupiter laughed. "Yeah! No problem!"

Mars looked around the torn-up room. "Looks like you had a few problems."

Princess D sat up with a start. "Wha-…where am I? Who are you? Where are my glasses?"

"Relax, Princess," Sailor Moon soothed. "It's ok now!"

"B-but my mind is so…fuzzy! Wha…what's been happening?"

Jupiter and Mercury gingerly helped Princess D to her feet. Mars retrieved her glasses. "Don't worry, we gotcha covered!" Jupiter answered. "Now, let's get you to your room and see that awesome treasure!"

"Oh, this was all a marketing trip!" Princess D lamented. "I didn't even get to see any of Tokyo's sites. This was just about finding rich Japanese investors!" She pouted as Mars, Jupiter and Mercury walked her down the hall. "The treasure is just a quartz sculpture of the original Princess D!"

As the other four girls walked down the hall, Sailor Moon, weary from her illusion and the battle, looked around the room. Her eyes fell on a recliner right beside the balcony door. She walked over and stretched herself out on the plush furniture.

"It's like you don't need me anymore…" Sailor Moon turned her head upward towards the deep-voiced sound. Bathed in the moonlight, familiar full-face mask back on, Tuxedo Mask now stood in the doorway. He finished his statement: "…almost. You and your friend forgot to go for your opponent's biggest vulnerability."

Sailor Moon rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because knocking someone's glasses off is the first thing that you'd think about in a fight!"

Tuxedo Mask walked over until he was right beside her. "Looks like we still need to work on your strategy!"

Breathing deeply, Sailor Moon just stared at him for a few moments. The rush of questions in her head didn't immediately allow for any single one to come to the forefront, so she just basked in his presence. For his part, Tuxedo Mask also seemed to be savoring the moment.

Finally, a silence-breaker: "Why is your voice so different when you put the mask on?"

"Voice modulator," he answered. "It was sitting on my desk when you were in my room."

Sailor Moon frowned. "But you kicked me out…" she yawned, "…but you made me leave so quickly."

A soft chuckle. "I wasn't prepared for houseguests. Please don't be upset. That was a very frantic day." He reached down and stroked her upturned palm. Despite her fatigue, her pulse quickened. "I promise that I'll make it up to you."

The Champion of Justice reflexively, yet delicately, closed her fingers around his. "You said that you were searching for things that you lost…but you also said that you feel like you have a duty to be by my side. How can you do both?"

The masked man's thumb massaged the back of Sailor Moon's hand. "Honestly, the two have yet to come into conflict. I've never felt like I've had to sacrifice one goal for the other." He smirked behind the mask. "Perhaps that means that the two are related. Another mystery to solve!"

"Mysteries…duty…" She cocked her head to the side. "How do you handle all of that responsibility? You didn't ask for it. Doesn't it drive you crazy?"

Tuxedo Mask sighed deeply and looked to the sky over the balcony. "You have no idea at the depths to which it does."

"Yes I do."

Tuxedo Mask looked down. His eyes locked with Sailor Moon's. Her heavy eyelids didn't hide the earnestness of her face. Her genuine concern and understanding moved him. "How do I handle it? By doing what I can every day. No more, no less. I don't sit back and wait, but I don't try to force anything either. I believe that the answers will come if I work diligently and consistently." His hand slid up her arm to her shoulder. "We will all be given assignments that we didn't ask for. That's life. Despite the challenges and the pain, freedom lies in unraveling the mystery and learning about yourself in the process."

Sailor Moon closed her eyes. "Will Imperium give you that freedom?"

"Only one way to find out."

The senshi yawned again. "Thank you for not running away this time."

"Believe me," Tuxedo Mask started, "thoughts of leaving disappear every time I see your eyes."

A small smile. "Eyes. Did you know…that…your eyes…?" Tuxedo Mask chuckled as she failed to finish her question. She was indeed so exhausted that she had fallen asleep right there. His eyes moved across her face, admiring her smooth skin, rosy cheeks, and cute button nose. He knelt down on one knee, enjoying her beauty…especially her lips. He leaned in closer…

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Tuxedo Mask calmly turned his head to the hallway door. The three remaining senshi were standing there, along with an angry black cat at their feet. Luna continued: " _What_ do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing in the arena of what you're thinking, I assure you," he said as he stood to his full height. "I would never disrespect her."

Sailor Jupiter cracked her knuckles. "Sure, Lover-boy! Let's try this: are you a friend, or a foe?"

The young man chuckled. "If I were a foe, could you stop me? Or would you just chase me around endlessly?"

Jupiter clenched her teeth and took a step forward. Sailor Mars placed a hand on her torso to stop her. She then turned to Tuxedo Mask. "I've seen you work to help us, even save us from harm. But you've never been open about your motivations. So, answer her question."

The masked man folded his hands and rested them on his cane. "The truth is that I'd love to be an unencumbered ally to you…but I too need Imperium."

"So, we can't trust you," Mercury surmised.

"Doctor, that hurts my feelings. What have my past actions shown you?" As the girls and Luna fell silent, Tuxedo Mask made his way to the railing. Silhouetted against the moon, he gave his parting statement.

"I tell you no lie, I never have, I do have my own agenda. But where our goals are not in conflict, count me on your side."

With that said, Tuxedo Mask tipped his hat, and leapt off of the railing. Sailor Jupiter ran to the edge of the balcony, but he was long gone. "How does he do that?"

Luna shook her fur in frustration. She looked up to a pondering Mercury. "Sailor Mercury, is everything alright?"

"Wasn't…wasn't he drinking the punch earlier?" Mercury asked. "How did he overcome the influence?"

Luna huffed. "I've noticed that too! But right now, we have a new problem. This is a complete change in tactics for the enemy! What does it mean?"

"Change in fighting style doesn't necessarily mean change in goal," Sailor Jupiter replied, now leaning on the balcony door frame.

"True," Mercury concurred. "We can assume that the Dark Kingdom focused on this event since it brought so many influential people together at once. We have to figure out how it fits into their worldwide plans."

"Energy-stealing, 'Dark Kingdom', world domination, Imperium." Sailor Mars glared at Luna. "And, once again, nothing?"

Luna glared back. "And, once again, trust me." The feline hopped up onto the arm of the chair that Sailor Moon was sleeping in. "All that you need to know is this: if we keep the enemy at bay, they will never possess Imperium. _That_ is the most important thing to know."

"TUXEDO MASK!"

A surprised Luna leapt off of the chair as Sailor Moon bolted upright. The blonde looked around at the shocked faces of her teammates. The shock morphed into amusement…and eventually into laughter. Sailor Moon blushed. "What's so funny?"

"I really want to know what your dreams are like!" Jupiter said.

"Probably not fit to be shared in decent company," Mars snarked. Sailor Mercury didn't say anything, but her gloved hand did a poor job at hiding her giggles.

Luna buried her face in the carpet and shook her head. "Sailor Moon, please! You have to be careful around him! This team is depending on you to have a clear head going into battle!"

Sailor Moon paused her pouting long enough to look around her. What she saw there filled her with a new ease and confidence. There was Madi's sweetness and strength, Wika's indomitable spirit, Galing's poise and intellect, and Luna's tireless mentorship. No fewer than eight of the Dark Kingdom's plots had fallen due to their efforts. Countless people around the world had been saved. And it was all due to everyone in this room.

Sailor Moon fixed her partner with a triumphant smile. "Luna, I think that this team is ready for anything that comes our way!"

* * *

Perched on a rooftop, long blonde hair billowing in the soft breeze, she overlooked the joyful activities below her. As a small smile curled her lips, a white cat weaved between her blue shoes.

"What do you think?" The question came in the form of a male voice from the cat.

"They're still raw, but they'll be fine. They're obviously still learning how to complement each other's abilities. It takes a few battles to really figure out strengths and weaknesses. They'll need to work on it more." The pair heard sirens in the distance. They looked back to the group, noticing that they were now running around frantically. "And work on escape plans while they're at it."

As the group disappeared from their line of sight, the young woman stood tall, staring at the full moon. A sense of reminiscence (and a tiny bit of homesickness) overtook her. She knew what they had all gone through: the visions, the connection to the planets, the subtle reveal of their abilities, the move to Japan. It was uncomfortable, exhilarating, disruptive, and harmonious all at once. But, unlike her, they had some time to grow as a group. To learn from each other. To support one another. Must've been nice.

She took a deep breath, reached up, and removed her red eye-mask. " _Au revoir_ , Sailor V."

The cat snickered. "Aww! Is someone sad about retiring their uniform?"

"Will I be sad about kicking a smart-mouthed cat off of this roof?"

"Save that aggression," the feline responded, unfazed, "you know what's coming soon."

She nodded. "A whole new phase of this mission. The Dark Kingdom is moving quickly. We'll all have to be well-prepared." She thought back to the twin-ponytailed blonde most recently napping in the chair. She had heard about the immaturity, the struggles, and the near disasters. But she had also heard about the determination, the creativity, and the care for absolutely everyone that she defended. If this crazy girl that Luna was mentoring was truly the one around whom their fate revolved, they were going to need a miracle…

…and that crazy girl just might be the miracle herself!

"Sailor Moon." She shook her head, then spoke in her native French: "I hope you're ready, my dear. Your time has come!"

* * *

 _You guys! I'm feeling so great right now! We have a strong and fearless team! The Dark Kingdom doesn't stand a chance against us. And…the more time that I spend around Tuxedo Mask, the better! What's the next adventure around the corner? Find out next time on The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	22. PARIS, FRANCE - One Month Ago

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

 _(Read the last paragraph of_ _ **Act VIII Part 2**_ _for this character's first introduction)_

* * *

 **PARIS, FRANCE - One Month Ago**

Perched on a rooftop, long blonde hair billowing in the soft breeze, she overlooked the illegal activities below her. As a small smile curled her lips, a white cat weaved between her blue shoes.

"What do you think?" The question came in the form of a male voice from the cat.

"I was hoping for something a little more epic for my last night," came the low reply, "but I guess that this will do." She raised her right arm, her index and middle fingers pointed at her target below.

"Crescent beam!"

A ray of golden light, shaped as back-to-back crescent moons, shot from her fingertips, quickly finding its way to the thief's hand. The shocked criminal yelped at the pain, dropping his booty. Instant panic overtook him as he yelled for his partner to start running. The terrified duo weaved through the streets, hoping to evade the legendary crimefighter. To their consternation, every time that they threw a frightened glance over their shoulders, they could make out the sailor suit and red mask soaring over the rooftops in the pale moonlight.

Panting, the pair found some tables at an outdoor café that were out of visual range of their relentless huntress. They dove underneath and hid for a few moments. As the sounds of pursuit faded away, they carefully emerged from their concealment. Sticking to the shadows, they slowly made their way up the street.

"Love-me chain!"

In an instant, the two thieves found themselves bound together by a beaded restraint. A moment later, they were lifted off of the ground and being swung around in a circle. Their momentum eventually came to a stop via violent contact with a lamppost.

After tying up the dazed ne'er-do-wells for pickup by the local authorities, they young woman re-attached her chain around her waist and made her way back to the rooftops. She looked over her work somewhat somberly. The cat walked back over to her. "That was a little rough. You used to be a bit more gentle."

She shot him an annoyed look before picking him up and scampering off. "I'm in a hurry. I have my final set tonight as well."

The cat in her arms nodded thoughtfully, crescent moon symbol on his forehead gleaming. "You also used to sing happier songs."

"Songs about lost love seem…fitting right now." She scrunched her face. "And once a little cat _literally_ turns your life into a comic book you get a different perspective on things."

The feline snickered. "Hey! You've always wanted to be famous!"

"When people read the comic or play the game, they're choosing Sailor V. Not Etoiledor Beauté." The girl scoffed. "The joy of living by a codename…"

"But no matter what people call you, you've still done so, so much! Think about it! How many people on Earth can say that they've been to the moon?"

The blonde stopped. Eyes closed, holding back tears, she responded with a tremble in her voice. "Artemis…that is _not_ something that I want to think about."

Artemis looked up at Sailor V with his green eyes. He sighed. "E.B., what you did was not easy by any stretch. But it was an incredibly important job and you pulled it off." He smiled. "The queen would have been very proud of you!"

Sailor V opened her eyes and gazed off into the distance. The beauty of the Paris skyline served as a backdrop for her thoughts. It had been just over three years since Artemis had come into her life. Since that day – the day after Venus shone bright orange in the evening sky just after emerging from behind the disc of the new moon – her life had become a whirlwind dichotomy. On one hand, she was an everyday Parisian, working at cafés and restaurants to get by, and ever pursuing her dreams of stardom in front of every crowd that she could find. On the other, she was the mysterious defender Sailor V: a crimefighter who seemed to have a knack for busting some of the most baffling crimes in Europe. Her charisma and fighting prowess seemed to be the fuel that rocketed _this_ persona to international acclaim.

Behind the scenes, things were much less glamorous. As easy-going and laid-back as Artemis could be, he was still unyielding in pushing her to her mental and physical limits. Etoiledor's natural athleticism allowed her to hone her leaping, fighting, and parkour skills with relative ease, though the training was still demanding. Not as easy was preparing to lead. On day one, Artemis let her know that it was her duty to lead the others that had yet to awaken. She had no idea who these people were or where they would be found, but it was clear that they had a very important goal to prepare for (even if Artemis wasn't very generous with the details). This meant being ready to guide, train, and strategize. It also meant going all over the world to ensure that their resources were fresh, maintained, and in perfect working order. At times, the task could be overwhelming (such as the six months she spent in London working with a pair from Interpol). But whenever the battles, travels, loneliness, memories, or fatigue would get her down, Artemis would come and sit in her lap until she felt better. Sometimes it was a goofy joke (he had a ton of those). Other times, it was his most common inspirational phrase…

"Let your light shine-"

"'…and take your destined place.' Yeah, yeah. I know," the Warrior of Love and Beauty interrupted.

Artemis bristled in her arms. "Don't be so dismissive. That is integral to your journey. You have to internalize that."

The baby-blue-eyed gaze of Sailor V dropped down to her partner. Her posture softened. She nodded and then continued her journey.

Finally reaching her destination, she dropped Artemis onto the roof. Sailor V touched the crescent moon symbol on her own forehead, and in a flash of golden ribbons and stars, Etoiledor reappeared. Clad in a pleated midi chiffon dress with the big red bow still on the back of her head, she immediately checked her wristwatch. "Ten minutes to spare!" She skipped across the rooftop and retrieved her guitar case, stowed behind some boxes. She took a deep breath. Getting that solitary track on that underground artist showcase album may have been the closest that she'd ever get to being a music star. And this might be her last performance for a while. Might as well savor it!

She pirouetted to Artemis. "How do I look?"

Artemis gave a wide smile. "Like a star!"

Etoiledor gave a small smile of her own. Before turning to the door, she took one last look over the late-night horizon, from the Arc de Triomphe to the spire of Notre Dame, finally settling on the Eiffel Tower. She sighed. At least there would be a structure that looked familiar when she reached her next destination.

" _Au revoir, mon Paris_ ," she whispered. "Hello, Tokyo."

* * *

 **Next time, on The Radiant Sailor Moon:**

 _OH CRAP! We are in big trouble! This is the most powerful…anything that we've ever encountered! But…who is this coming to fight beside us? Is it…could it possibly be…? No way! And is that a…? Things are getting crazy, so join us next time with "_ _ **Soldier of Love**_ _!" Bye-bye!_

* * *

 **EXTRA!** Now that we've met Etoiledor, you can learn the truth about the titles of the chapters. These aren't random songs; this is Etoiledor's playlist! FF doesn't allow hyperlinks, so go to **YouTube** and search for " **The Radiant Sailor Moon** " or " **Etoiledor's Playlist** " and you will find it! Can you spot the allusions to each song in the text of its corresponding chapter? Enjoy the music! Hopefully you'll find a new favorite song!

Additionally, a slight overhaul to the entire story is coming with the next chapter. It won't change any plot points, but it will fix some grammar issues and add some depth and clarity to some things. You may not even notice the changes. Thanks for reading!


	23. Act IX: Soldier of Love - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

NAMES: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wicapiwakan/Wika::Rei; Madeira/Madi::Makoto; one more pending) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act IX: Soldier of Love**

 _I've_ never _been this scared in my life before! Who is this…this…person threatening us? And how are they so powerful? But…who else is here? Is it really…? And…what does_ this _other mysterious person want to show us? Will anything be the same after today? Hope you're ready to find out!_

 **Part 1: Sailor Venus**

Trembling uncontrollably, but unable to move voluntarily, Sailor Moon stood rooted to the ground. Eyes wide open in shocked horror, she surveyed the current situation:

To her left, Sailor Mercury was bound, legs, torso, and arms, by thick strands of luminous red hair. Only her free right hand was keeping a swath of it from constricting her windpipe. To her right, Sailor Mars was holding off a glowing jeweled sword that had her pinned against a crag. Her right hand was pushing against the hilt, her left holding a fiery ofuda against the blade bearing down on her neck. Directly in front of her, Sailor Jupiter was wrapped and restrained with her back to the ground by ghostly crimson bands emerging from the rock. She did have a free hand, which was fighting the high-heeled purple shoe attempting to crush her trachea.

"Did you hear me, Princess?" a sultry, sinister voice inquired. Sailor Moon looked back to the stranger, captivated by her cruel, red eyes. The smirking villainess repeated her bargain:

"Your neck, for your friends."

Paralyzed by fear, Sailor Moon thought to herself, "How did this happen?"

* * *

Texts had been flying between the girls (and Luna) since 6AM. Despite Usagi's chagrin at being awake that early, she immediately acclimated herself to the two big news stories of the day.

First, in spite of their efforts two nights ago, it appeared that the Dark Kingdom was indeed successful with their plans. Tokyo was in a tizzy due to the interviews, social media posts, and rumors coming from celebrities, politicians, and business moguls in the last 24 hours. All of the chatter was focused on the same thing:

"We must find Imperium!"

That headline blared on multiple newspapers, television chyrons, and text messages all over the Kanto region. While the line was often followed by "what are they talking about?", Imperium had become enough of a talking point to dominate day-to-day conversations and inspire fantastic rumors. Little boys thought that it would give them the same powers as their Shonen superheroes. Housewives spoke of a beautiful stone worth 1000 times its weight in diamonds. Others (ironically) thought it was just a marketing scheme for some jewelry company. Nevertheless, _that_ story actually played second fiddle to the other big story:

"Are the sailor-suited crimefighters actually criminals?"

Starting on the night of the masquerade, numerous accounts had been reported about a woman in a sailor fuku and facial veil going around Tokyo and causing mischief. These activities included littering, letting the air out of people's bicycle tires, hopping on the hoods of cars at stop lights and causing traffic to snarl, and various other pranks.

The debates began to rage: were these women heroes, or villains? Were these the real sailor-suited warriors in league with Sailor V or imposters? Was the "glamour" real, or simply a type of facial veil like some of the recent witnesses described? Shouldn't the real guardians come forward if fakes are sullying their name?

One publication that didn't believe the hype (naturally) was The Negaverse. After publishing a scathing op-ed about the security at the masquerade, the site made it clear that it believed that the crime-causing "Sailor Scouts" were frauds. Additionally, people such as Kijin Shinokawa and students from the now closed Crystal Seminar emphasized that the "glamour" was real, therefore the new troublemakers were not the true warriors.

"Fantastic!" Wicapiwakan wrote. "Everyone's looking for Imperium and we still don't know what it is!"

"I think that this fake senshi is a little more important!" Madeira countered.

"Agreed," Luna said, writing from an untraceable number. "We need to focus on this imposter."

"Convenient," Wika replied with an eye-roll emoji.

"I'm a bit wary," Galing warned. "I've noticed that the fake senshi has been following a very predictable pattern, moving basically due west along the Chuo line. I know where we could intercept them. This seems too easy. Like they want us to catch them."

"If that's what they want, let's make their dreams come true!" Madi wrote with a bicep flex emoji.

"Girls, if I'm correct, you're all free tonight after 6pm?" Luna asked. "It sounds like we'll have to take a long train ride."

"I'll be ready," Galing verified.

"Same," Madi wrote.

After some delay, Wika responded, "I have to go over some duties with the new guy, Yuuichirou. He needs a LOT of training! I'll meet you guys there."

"Sounds good everyone!" Luna wrote. "How about you Usagi?"

Several minutes passed.

"Usagi?"

"One minute," Wika wrote. After about 45 seconds, the straggler joined the conversation.

"Hey! I was reading, but it was time for breakfast! You didn't have to sic Wika on me!"

A few facepalm and laughing emojis later, Luna reiterated her question.

"Sure! I haven't been that far out in a while!"

Galing laid out the plan. "Alright. We will all need to be at Akigawa station by 7:30 tonight. The fake senshi has committed all of their crimes within three blocks of the nearest train station. They should hit Nishi-Kokubunji at 6 and Nakagami at 7. If we're in place by 7:30, we should be able to set up a perimeter and catch them in the act."

"And, what if they don't want to stick around and talk?" Madi asked.

"I have a plan," Galing reassured. "We'll talk about it when we meet."

"Cool!" Usagi wrote. "I'm looking online and there are a bunch of ramen restaurants in the area!"

"Seriously, Usagi?" Luna groaned through her typing.

"Hey, if we have to be out there, we might as well enjoy it!"

* * *

Outside of Akigawa Station at 7:50PM, Usagi sat down on the bench near the bus and taxi turnaround. She was still a little irritated that this mission wouldn't allow time for a whole meal. She radioed in. "Ok, what exactly am I looking for here?"

"Just keep your eyes peeled," Sailor Mercury said from her perch on top of the local inn. "According to the news, she hit her targets at 6 and 7:00 as anticipated. She'll show up, and a whacker in a fuku won't be easy to miss." She looked to her left where she had a good view of everything south of the station. "Madi, how is the northern patrol going?"

"I probably should have been the one on the roof," the Brazilian replied while walking by clothing stores and restaurants. "I understand why you have me going through the neighborhood, but I am _not_ inconspicuous!"

"They probably just think that you're with the local American Air Force base," Mercury said. "Both of you, make sure that you find a good place to duck into and transform when the time comes."

After she and Madi gave their affirmative responses, Usagi let her mind drift. With the slightest blush, she thought about Olugbeja, the man known as Tuxedo Mask. She sorely wished that her group could see what she did in him (especially Luna). His bravery and skill were evident. He'd come through and helped them in virtually every situation that they'd been in thus far! Did his desire to keep some mystery to himself truly merit losing all trust? And it wasn't selfish that he wanted Imperium! Anyone who had been haunted by dreams for over a year would be willing to do whatever they could to end the pain, right? He was an ally! A handsome…and romantic…ally…

While daydreaming about their last dance, her eyes slowly trailed over the tranquil scene, eventually falling on the local conbini. She smiled. This chain carried her favorite mochi snacks! Peeking through the distant entryway, she didn't see a line. Getting in and out in under a minute would be easy! She got up and started to head over.

"Usagi! What are you doing?"

"I'll just be a minute! Nothing's gonna happen in the next 60 seconds!"

"Famous last words," Madi mused. "Make sure to tell us what goes wrong!"

At that moment, Mercury and Madi heard a choking sound. "Usagi! What is it?"

"Ho-holy crap!" was all that Usagi could say. Three seconds earlier, materializing instantly out of thin air, directly in front of the store's entrance, was a swirling circle of darkness. When it mysteriously vanished, there stood a skinny, sailor-suited young woman. Usagi's mouth dried up as she recognized that the suspicious senshi – outside of the veil over her nose and mouth – was basically a purple-and-black palette swap of Sailor Moon! From the accoutrements all the way to two blonde ponytails! The terrified waitress quickly hid behind one of the panels at the bus stop.

Sailor Mercury moved stealthily across the rooftop to get a better angle. Activating her supercomputer, she zoomed in on the entrance, and gasped. "Madi, suit up and get over here!"

"Shit! Something actually went wrong?!" Madi ran to find a concealed place to transform.

"Usagi," Mercury started, "you'll need to change too. There's a bathroom right by the entrance to the station. Go for it!"

Usagi peeked from behind the panel. She swallowed hard. Her doppelgänger seemed to be taking a long look in her direction. After a few tense moments, the imposter turned and entered the store. Usagi took off on a dead sprint for the public toilet. Once inside, she ripped out her brooch.

"Moon Prism Power…Make…UP!"

The cramped space filled with light and in a snap, Sailor Moon had arrived. She was about to throw the door open when a sound caught her attention. She stopped and concentrated, realizing that her orbs were picking up on something. Sailor Moon closed her eyes and listened:

"It's her! The news was right!"

"Oh my! They _are_ villains!"

"Please, ma'am! You haven't paid for those!"

"No, Mommy, the real heroes wouldn't do that!"

The Champion of Justice re-centered herself. Slowly, she opened the door to make sure that no one was immediately outside. From there, she could clearly hear the commotion from outside of the store. Luckily, the toilet was near the backside of the building. With one leap, Sailor Moon was on the roof. She walked over to the edge and looked down. What she saw shocked and angered her.

The fake Sailor Moon was standing out in the open, in defiance of all of the surrounding protestors, lifting her veil just enough to smugly munch on Usagi's favorite mochi snacks! The workers were still pleading with her to pay for the treats, while the crowd chided her insolence. Just to rile the crowd a bit more, the troublemaker tossed the used sticks onto the ground.

After finishing off the last puff of sweetened rice paste, the fake senshi turned to the workers, gave a wicked smile, and rudely flicked the last stick in their direction. The wooden utensil didn't find its mark. Instead, it now rested in the grasp of Sailor Moon, who had just landed from the top of the building.

The crowd gasped and began to murmur. Police were also approaching the scene. "Usagi! Stick to the plan!" came Mercury's voice in her ear. Sailor Moon knew that there was a job to do, but she had a little business first:

Sailor Moon pointed at the pretender. "How dare you use the image of a senshi to do your evil! People like my friends and Sailor V work hard to defend people from criminals! Using our uniform as a cover to commit crimes? That is unforgiveable!" She struck a pose.

"Protected by the Moon! The pretty guar-". Sailor Moon stopped her speech as her opponent took off with a tremendous leap, landing on the bus stop shelter. The veil was on her face, but those eyes let Sailor Moon know that there was a nasty smile behind it. "That's rude!" Moon exclaimed.

Suddenly, a thick fog rolled in. The fake senshi froze, eyes and ears attentive. Intuition led her to leap from her spot to the roof of the store a second before a towering warrior in green and pink landed with a shock at her previous location. "You guys ready?" Jupiter asked.

"Sailor Moon, GO!" Sailor Mercury ordered.

Leaping out of the fog, Sailor Moon landed on the roof, right in front of the doppelgänger. She removed her tiara and loaded up. The fake gave Sailor Moon a dismissive look, just before leaping backwards to avoid a well-directed lightning strike. Just as Sailor Jupiter joined the party on the roof, a jet of water caused the imposter to back up to the edge of the building. Moments later, Sailor Mercury also appeared on the roof.

"I guess that practice did us good!" Jupiter said with a smile.

"Practice and dumb luck," Mercury responded. If not for the sprinkler system during their last adventure, she may not have discovered her ability to control water. Armed with the knowledge, she had spent the last two days testing her limits.

Sailor Moon's eyes never left her adversary. "Let's do this!"

The girls charged at the fake senshi, causing her to retreat. Sailor Moon followed in direct pursuit across Akigawa. She was very careful with her tiara throws as there were no tall buildings in this bedroom community. The chase took them over residential buildings, through parking lots, and around small businesses.

As the fake fled from Sailor Moon on her rear, she looked to her left. A layer of fog from Mercury's Aqua Mist kept that escape route murky. If she got too close, sharp jets of water came her way. On the other side, bolts of electricity shot through the air courtesy of Sailor Jupiter. Occasionally, a strong fist would take a swing at her. She had no doubt that they were leading her into a trap. But, at this point, she had no choice but to keep straight.

As the pursuit left the city, the group found themselves in the foliage of the foothills. The fake continued on her current trajectory through the trees. She could still hear her trackers on each side. All of a sudden, she reached a wide clearing. Landing on the exposed rock, she walked forward and placed her hand on her new obstacle: a sheer rock face, at least 25m high. She smirked as she heard three people land behind her. She turned to see Sailors Moon and Mercury flanking Sailor Jupiter, who had her index fingers, pinkies, and antenna extended, prepping to attack.

"Supreme…THUNDER!"

A lightning bolt flashed towards the fake senshi. She effortlessly moved a few meters to her right to avoid it. Sailor Jupiter looked into the fake's amused eyes with an embarrassed gaze. "I missed…" The fraudulent senshi gave a look of superiority…that instantly disappeared when Jupiter gave her own evil smirk. "…and got you right where we wanted!"

Out of the corner of her eye, the fake Sailor Moon saw a fast-moving, glowing projectile coming in her direction. Before she could move, a fireball hit the ground in front of her. Upon impact, the flames quickly crawled along the ground, encircling her. With a mighty whooshing sound, the orange and blue flames grew to a towering swirl, trapping her in the fiery ring. Moments later, Sailor Mars emerged from her hiding spot, landing beside her teammates.

Mars looked over to Sailor Mercury. "That was a good plan!"

Mercury gave a shy smile. "Well, it was your idea to mix your ofuda strips with the flammable material for greater control of the flames!"

"But it was yours to put those lightning rods in the rock face," Jupiter interjected. "No way could I have shot so perfectly without that! This one goes to you!"

"Great work girls!" Luna exclaimed over the comms. "Perfect execution. I was a little worried to be waiting here with Mars the whole time, but you did an amazing job! Now, please be careful! This person has shown that they have special abilities too! I don't know what to expect. Be on guard!"

Sailor Moon giggled. "Hey, there are four of us! Even if she is some kind of mirror-universe senshi, we can take her!" She turned to Sailor Mars, who was staring intently into the flame. "Can you take that fire barrier down, Wika?"

Sailor Mars hesitated. "I don't think that I should."

"What's up?" Jupiter asked.

Mars continued to stare. "Something is…changing in there."

Mercury popped her visor down to investigate. "I can't see past the flames. Can you, Pheta?"

Mars took a cautious step backwards. "No. But I can feel this…entity's power. It's…changing…building…"

At that moment, a frightening sound took over. It started low, almost imperceptible. But it quickly grew, taking over the area, echoing endlessly, and filling the warriors' hearts with dread: a deep, mocking laugh. As the girls looked on, shivering with anticipation, a figure slowly emerged from the flames. Silhouetted by the glow, they could only make out a female figure, holding a staff, and wearing a…long dress.

"Guardians." The low voice gave another laugh. "It's been so long."

The senshi didn't know what to say. It was obvious that they were dealing with a very powerful being. But…when had any of them encountered this person before?

"Wha-what do you m-mean by that?" Sailor Moon stammered.

With a violent wave of her hand, the mysterious woman dissipated every trace of Mars' flame. The girls could now see their opponent in full: she stood at least 178 cm without the purple pumps, her skin was pale, the crimson of her irises was matched by that of her ankle-length hair. She wore a form-fitting purple shoulderless gown with a deep plunge showing off her ample cleavage, as well as a necklace and waist chain made up of gems, rocks, and familiar red jewels. Stones sharpened to look like spikes adorned her black bracelets and her bare shoulders. Her forehead crest looked like a shiny black boomerang resting just above the bridge of her nose. A gold-wrapped ruby jewel sat in the cusp of the crest, and from her ears dangled two ruby teardrop earrings.

Her long, sharp fingernails clacked on her silver staff. The black crystal ball bounded by its claw-like design reflected her look of mock concern. "No memory? Pity. I thought that the Lunar Event would have awoken you."

Sailor Moon looked quizzical. "'Lunar Event?'"

The adversary closed her eyes and shook her head. "Never mind. Don't worry." As she opened her eyes, streaks of light began to shoot through her hair. The streaks increased in number and intensity until her hair was fully aglow and undulating around her. The staff in her hand morphed into a jeweled sword. She took her hand away from it, allowing it to hover in midair with a red radiance. The dangerous opponent gave off her own strong red aura and fixed Sailor Moon with a look of pure hatred as she finished her statement:

"None of that matters now."

* * *

Sailor Moon's heart was in her throat. Even though she knew (and had experienced) the danger associated with senshi work, this was the first time that she had come face-to-face with the mortality of her teammates. It felt like the witch standing in front of her could snuff their lives out in an instant if she wished. While frozen in turmoil, she searched for a way to save them.

Her lips quivered. "…you-you'll let th-them go?"

The villainess smiled. "Your neck for theirs."

"NO!" Mars screamed.

"D-don't you dare!" Jupiter growled.

"Sailor Moon! Please, no!" Mercury pleaded.

" _USAGI!_ " Luna screeched in her ear.

Sailor Moon had no idea of what to do. Obviously, she wasn't looking to commit suicide by giving in to the demands of an insane woman. But her friends were in serious danger. This sorceress had a level of power that she had never seen. How could she get out of this? "C'mon Usagi! Think!" she urged herself. As the thoughts continued to swirl in her head, she prepared to take a slow, careful step forward.

"Don't step forward in fear! Stand up to her!"

Sailor Moon's concentration was broken. The female voice coming over the comms was clearly not Luna's. "What? Who is…?"

"I'm waiting!" the evil woman nagged.

Breathing heavily and with a newfound courage, Sailor Moon defiantly turned to the wicked one. "No! You won't take my friends!" She snatched the tiara from her head and readied a strike.

The witch looked annoyed. "You actually think your little crown can hurt me?"

"I've broken a lot of stuff with this thing before!" The senshi retorted.

"Foolish girl!" the enemy spat. "You haven't learned a thing after all these millennia."

With those words, Sailor Moon was immediately transfixed on the woman's eyes. Those words opened something deep within her mind. In an instant, all of her recent, mysterious flashbacks came rushing back to her: the ruby earrings worn by an angry, powerful woman; a smiling, sinister living flame; the flash of a protector's sword; the touch, the embrace, the dance with Olugbeja. It was all related… _somehow_ …to this woman!

Sailor Moon dropped her tiara with a clank. Her eyes were as saucers; her body shivered; her voice quavered. "Who…are…you?"

That familiar sinister smile parted the villainess' purple-painted lips. She opened her mouth and…

A beam of light flew past her head. Her eyes instinctively followed the threat, but the witch knew that in that split-second she had just fallen for a distraction. The instant that her eyes returned forward, a new figure already had an orange heel buried in her upper abdomen.

The newcomer appeared in Sailor Moon's line of sight in a flash. So fast that she couldn't make out much other than a lot of blonde hair. But the attack that she was using looked very, very familiar: diving…corkscrewing the body…precisely placed kick…WAIT! That was Sailor V's signature kick from the game! The one that she emulated when she was fighting the enemy! Only, this person had it down perfectly! Much tighter, more rotation, and a harder impact than she had been able to create! It was so good that the game designers could have used this person…as…the model. Sailor Moon's jaw dropped. It _couldn't_ be…

The kick staggered the evildoer, causing her to stumble backwards. The impact also caused her magic to dissipate. Sailor Mercury was freed as the prehensile hair shrank back towards its origin. The sword lost its glow and Sailor Mars now flipped it from her right hand to her left. The bands holding Sailor Jupiter down disappeared and the Senshi of Courage leapt to her feet. The enemy shot a nasty look at the newcomer standing in the middle of the clearing. Her gaze found Sailor Moon one final time. "We'll talk later, Princess." A swirling portal appeared behind her. She extended her left hand towards Mars, and her sword shot out of the senshi's grasp toward its owner. Upon reaching her hand, the sword transformed back into her staff. The angry woman backed into the portal. In an instant, it vaporized into thin air.

Sailors Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter stood in the clearing, breathing heavily. As shaken as they were due to their recent encounter, they were now more fascinated by the stranger within their midst. She wore a sailor fuku like the rest of the girls. The orange of her skirt, glove accents, scarf, choker, and the jewel in her tiara matched her shoes. Her back bow was yellow, her front (with her pin nestled in the center) was blue, and the one on the back of her head was red. A beaded waist chain around her midsection capped off the ensemble.

Usagi was freaking out. The outfit was different and she wasn't wearing a mask. But, still! The moves, the hair, the build…it was straight from the manga! Straight from the video games!

The other girls cautiously approached the victor, the truth of the situation beginning to sink in. "Hey…thanks!" Mars began. "I assume that you're with us…so…are _you_ …?"

"LADIES AND…OTHER LADIES!" boomed a bombastic voice. The girls looked around to see where the sound was coming from. "Wearing the orange sailor uniform with blue and gold trim…her professional record includes over a dozen crime cartels busted, more than 200 arrests, and countless lives saved worldwide…from Paris, France, protected by Venus…the fearless, legendary hero formerly known as Sailor Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…the Senshi of Beauty…SAILOR VENUS!"

As the girls stared in surprise, Sailor Venus gave a small smile. "Ignore Artemis. He likes to be the center of attention." A moment later, a white cat came bouncing from around the side of the cliff, settling by Venus' feet.

"Just preparing for my next career as a boxing announcer!"

A loud sigh rang in everyone's earpieces. "You haven't changed," came Luna's exasperated voice. "Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, meet Artemis and Sailor Venus!"

The horror and mystery of the most recent battle couldn't compete with Sailor Moon's fangirl instincts. "OHMYGOD OHMYGOD _OHMYGOD_! SAILOR V! It's really you! Wait! Where's your mask? Where's your famous uniform? OH…MY…GOD! Are you joining US now?! Wha-."

Sailor Venus placed her index finger on Sailor Moon's lips, silencing her.

"If you would have used the Moon Stick, she would have lost her grip on the others." Her hand came down. "You've got to know the right weapon to use, and be able to tell when your opponent is bluffing. She was at the limit of her magic." Sailor Venus looked around at the others. "You guys are a good team. But you still have a lot of work to do." She tilted her head towards the city. "C'mon. We don't want to miss the last train back to Azabu-Juban." She picked up Artemis and leapt back into the woods. The other senshi, confused, and wondering what was in store, followed her…

…until a shrill voice came over the comms.

"Excuse me? LADIES?! Is someone going to retrieve me from this ledge?!"

* * *

The group of five young women and two cats meandered around the Juban district. The heads of the original quartet were still ringing from the activities of the evening, but filled with anticipation regarding the surprise that the newcomers wanted to show them. The group eventually arrived at a familiar location: Game Center Crown. They moved to the back of the arcade, heading for the rear entrance.

"Man, I would love…uhh…would have loved to have a key to get in here after-hours…y'know…when I was a kid!" Usagi mused.

"No key necessary," the new blonde answered. She delicately placed her fingertips on three different bricks on the wall next to the door. A small light in one of the bricks flashed twice and the door unlocked. Everyone entered into the small, empty room.

"Huh. Motoki always told me that this was a break room. But I never saw anyone in here taking a break," Usagi said.

"Guys, you might want to move towards the brick wall," Artemis warned. Sailor V's civilian alter ego squatted down and tapped her fingers on the interior brick wall near the floor. The girls watched in wonder as a panel on the floor slid open, revealing a staircase.

The evening's savior turned to the other four untransformed senshi and fixed them with a serious look. "You've all felt a little strange growing up: looking at the sky and searching for a planet's guidance, having a certain affinity to specific elements of the natural world, being so good at picking up spoken languages. Then, you get a feeling pulling you to Japan. You receive crazy powers and start fighting an unknown evil just because it feels right. Even with knowing a little bit about the Moon Kingdom, I'm sure that each of you wonders just how far-reaching this mystery actually is. I know that you've all been haunted by snippets of memories and vague feelings of déjà vu. Everything that you've felt, I have too." She motioned towards the staircase. "Many of the answers that you seek are housed down there. Once you step in, your life will change forever. Some of it will be hard to accept, but you already know that there's no going back to your old lives. You might as well descend into your destiny."

The nerves and discomfort were obvious. Usagi, Galing, Wicapiwakan, and Madeira were all hesitant to go downstairs. Their new companion was absolutely right with everything that she said. Now it felt like they were so close to the truth…but to actually step over the threshold into a new understanding? That was as terrifying as the witch that they had faced not three hours earlier. The gung-ho Madi and the cocksure Wika exchanged anxious looks. Galing bit her lip in apprehensive thought. Their reactions didn't help Usagi's worries at all. She wanted to go home and curl up in bed as badly as she wanted to run downstairs and find every answer. But her knees were knocking too hard for her to move either way.

A soft brush against Usagi's legs startled her. She looked down and was greeted by Luna's warm eyes. "Usagi…it's going to be alright. Let's go." The black feline looked over to the other three and nodded her head towards the staircase. After taking a deep, cleansing breath, Wika straightened herself and walked over. As she started her descent, Madi placed her hand on Galing's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. They traded small smiles and followed Wika. Artemis and Luna bounded down right after them.

Hesitating no longer, Usagi finally walked over. The former Sailor V met her at the opening, her baby blue-eyed gaze penetrating into Usagi's deep blues. She took the twin ponytailed young woman by both hands. "Preliminaries are over," she said in a kind, gentle tone. "The real story starts now." She released Usagi's hands and took a step back. Usagi looked down the staircase. She couldn't see her friends, but she could hear gasps and sounds of wonderment. It was time to join them!

Usagi swallowed, clenched her fists, and ran down the staircase into her new world.

* * *

 _Hold it right there! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be back in a flash!_

[Go to **YouTube** and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon** " for access to **Etoiledor's Playlist**! Did you catch the lyrical allusion in this chapter? (It might be in the next part…)]


	24. Act IX: Soldier of Love - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

A note on character names: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wika::Rei; Madi::Makoto; Etoiledor::Minako) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act IX - Soldier of Love**

 _Aww! Did you miss me? Back to The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2: Etoiledor Beaut** **é**

Usagi picked herself up from the floor at the bottom of the staircase. She shook off the effects of her tumble as the new girl came down to check on her. She gave a small laugh. "I guess that rumors of your clumsiness were true!"

Usagi gave an irritated look. "No one told me that the staircase was curved!"

Galing looked over to Usagi's helper. "Forgive us, but in all of this time we never asked what your name was."

The fifth senshi smiled. "Etoiledor. Etoiledor Beauté. _Enchanté_."

Galing smiled. "Nice to meet you too. I'm-"

"Galing. And Wika, and Madi." Etoiledor gave a coy look. "I've been watching you!"

"Great. We've got a stalker," Wika deadpanned as she looked over the large control panel at the front of the small room.

"Fascinating!" Galing exclaimed as she returned to peering at a dark red jewel under the microscope on the lab table. "The structure of this crystal is… _amazing_!"

"Yeah, there's a lot of interesting stuff down here," Madi added, looking at the strange devices on the shelf. "What's this? A belt with a potpourri container?"

"Oh, girls, we don't have time to look at everything tonight," Luna said, hopping up on the lab table. "The important thing to know is that this is the command center! This is where we do our surveillance, research, and communication."

Usagi looked over in the corner at the plush cat bed. "And this is where you go on those nights that you're not with me."

Luna nodded. "Most of the time."

A goofy look came over Usagi's face. "Well, I only see one kitty bed! Do you and Artemis share?"

"NO! His bed is in the back! Don't you even joke about that!"

Artemis snickered at the outburst. "Thanks for making a guy feel wanted!"

"Hey, Etoiledor, where do you stay?" Madi asked.

"Oh, I have a small place pretty close by," she answered. "Don't worry about me." Her mood changed. "What we do need to worry about is getting you all up to speed on what's going on."

Wika nodded. "Just what I wanted to hear."

Artemis hopped up onto the lab table. "Galing, that stone that you're looking at is thousands of years old." He walked over and batted the gem to the center of the table. The girls gathered around. "This jewel gives off a very specific energy signature. It probably won't shock you to know that it's the same signature associated with the Yamana Ruby, the Crystal Disks, the demon trains, and so on."

"This is how we track their schemes," Etoiledor said. "By using the right combinations of satellite data we can identify broad areas where their schemes are taking hold."

"Satellite data?" Galing asked. "What kind of resolution would you need to track things on such small scales?"

"Well, the energy signature spikes at specific frequencies in both the mid-infrared and near ultra-violet. We…uh…" Artemis looked a little sheepish, "… _borrow_ …data and surveillance from various sources. To the untrained eye, the signature can be so faint that it blends in with background radiation. But if you know what exactly to look for, it's easy to find. Even at coarser resolutions."

"After we find the area of interest," Luna finished, "we switch to local investigation and discover exactly what they're doing and make a plan to stop it!"

Usagi turned to Etoiledor. "You've been doing this all over the world?"

"E.B. has done more than you can imagine!" Artemis said in a boastful manner. "It was her idea to dovetail our investigations with those of local authorities. Doing so allowed her to polish her detective skills while still managing to track our enemies. In fact, when we first arrived in Tokyo, she was able to stop a ring of jewelry thieves during our search for the Yamana Ruby."

Wika nodded. "Your coming to Tokyo was no accident."

"Not at all," Etoiledor answered. "While we've been able to track their activities all over the globe, the past year has seen a sharp increase in attacks on Tokyo. And the past month has been incredible," she smiled, "as the four of you know already!"

"What's with the escalation?" Madi asked. "Is that why that woman showed up today?"

"Yeah!" Usagi interjected. "Who is she?"

Artemis, Luna, and Etoiledor exchanged nervous glances. Wika wasn't having it. "Hey! You told us that our lives would change when we got down here. So let's start changing something else: the information that you share with us!"

Luna sighed. "It's not that-"

Wika raised a finger in protest. "Don't you _even_ -"

"We don't know her name." The group turned to Artemis. "But we do know her from ancient Earth history. She called herself the 'Queen of Earth'. On the day of the destruction of the Moon Kingdom she led an invasion and slaughter of the Moon's inhabitants. The Moon Queen herself was the one who managed to stop her." The girls fell silent, recalling the things that they had learned from Luna. Artemis motioned towards the stone on the table. "That artifact fell off of that woman's sword."

"If she was destroyed then how was she just here?" Usagi asked. "Why did she make it sound like she knew us?" She gasped. "How does she know what I look like as Sailor Moon?"

"Because you've met before," Etoiledor answered. "We've all met her before." The Parisian moved to the table and sat on it, facing the other girls. "Your strange feelings of nostalgia? Little scraps of hazy memories trying to break through? They've strengthened in the past month, right?" The girls didn't answer, but their eyes gave affirmation. "And those feelings really began after the Lunar Event, right?"

Usagi huffed at the second time that this incident had been invoked. "What is-?"

"The Lunar Event?" Galing interrupted. "Two years ago? The night when the full moon shone like the sun?"

"Oh," Usagi said. "On Coming of Age Day…"

Etoiledor nodded. "That's the day that you all awoke, even though you probably didn't realize it. My awakening was a little earlier."

Galing leaned in. "'Orange Venus?' The abnormally bright occultation of the planet, I presume?"

Artemis let out a short laugh. "Medicine, computers, _and_ astronomy!"

Etoiledor continued: "After we awoke, things started to trickle back. But they don't return at the same rate for everyone." Her countenance fell. "And none of us have the whole story." She looked back to the girls. "We are the reincarnations of the senshi that were duty-bound to defend the Moon Kingdom. That woman is the reincarnation of the evil that destroyed it. She has gathered her forces in an attempt to claim-"

"Imperium." Etoiledor, Artemis, and Luna stared silently at the rest of the group. The four girls had finished the sentence simultaneously. The entire group sat in silence for nearly a minute.

Turning to his original partner, Artemis broke the silence. "Luna, I think Wika may have a valid point. We may have been a bit too cautious with what we've shared with the group up to now. I think that it's time to take a leap of faith." His warm, confident gaze soothed Luna's worried face. "Ladies," he ordered, "circle up and place one hand in the middle." Without a word the girls assembled themselves. "E.B., put your other hand on my head. Usagi, do the same with Luna." Luna hopped up on the shelf across from the table and Usagi and Etoiledor did as told.

From behind their hands, Usagi and Etoiledor could see that the crescent moon symbols on the heads of the felines were beginning to glow. The blondes felt a powerful wave flow through their bodies. They locked their hands tighter with the other girls in the circle, allowing the oppressive sensation to flow through them as well. Everyone closed their eyes, bracing their bodies.

After a few seconds, random flashes in the minds of the girls began to materialize: the sparkling, white castle which they had seen so many times now appeared. But now they could also see people…other buildings…Earth high over the horizon.

"The…c-castle…" Galing stammered.

"And…the temple." Wika finished. "The Temple of the Moon"

"And…this…all of this is…Silver Millennium," Madi panted.

"…our home," Etoiledor expressed softly.

Their breathing became shallower as a maroon flash tore the sky. Hundreds of spear-wielding warriors poured into the kingdom, commencing a massacre.

Wika began to shiver "No…no…"

"This was…a battle…" Madi said.

"Our final battle." Etoiledor whispered.

All of a sudden, the scene went black. The girls' bodies were wracked with pain.

"Wha…what is this?!" Galing exclaimed.

"It hurts! Oh God, make it stop!" Wika cried.

"Hold on! Just hold on!" Artemis yelled through a strained voice.

The girls tightened their grip on each other. "I…I can't take it!" Madi panted.

"Don't give up!" Etoiledor hollered. "We're in this together!"

Just as abruptly as it had arrived, the pain ceased. For a moment the darkness persisted. Then, a small point of light appeared.

"What's that?" a fatigued Madi inquired. The point slowly began to grow…and brighten…and brighten even more until the light was searing and unbearably radiant.

"I can't…I can't…!" Galing cried as she began to lose her grip.

"Me either!" Wika groaned. "I-"

At that instant, for an infinitesimal moment, a diamond-like structure appeared. It gave off a silver gleam…

The group collapsed to the ground. They were sweating, dizzy, and disoriented. Etoiledor picked her spinning head up and took a survey of the girls on the ground. While seeing three of them beginning to stir she noticed that someone was missing. "Usagi?"

"Yeah…are you guys ok?"

The four exhausted senshi turned their attention to their still-standing teammate. Other than a few beads of sweat on her forehead, she seemed completely unbothered.

Wika looked at her incredulously. "What the f— were you doing?"

Usagi tensed up. "I-I…"

"Were you not seeing and feeling the same things as us?" Madi asked.

"N-no…well…s-some of it," Usagi stammered. "I did see the castle, and some of a battle…but I didn't feel what you guys did." A tear came to her eye. "I could hear you guys in pain…but I couldn't feel anything. I'm-I'm sorry!"

"Usagi," Luna soothed. "It's not your fault. This exercise brings back shared memories. This just means that you weren't in the same place as them when-"

"We died," Galing concluded. All eyes turned to her. "A battle, then pain and darkness." She covered her mouth with her hand. "We just relived our deaths…from thousands of years ago."

"Yeah," a frazzled Artemis said, "that wasn't a treasure trove of great memories. But they might have been your strongest as a collective…at least for four of you." He shot a relatively unbothered Luna his own disbelieving look. "I'm kinda with Wika on this one…what _were_ you doing?"

Luna shrugged. "I've never done that exercise before, so I don't know."

As she finally rose from the floor and helped Etoiledor to stand up, the final frame came back into Madi's mind. "Hey, that last thing we saw. Was that-?"

"Imperium!" Wika answered. "It _has_ to be!"

Galing worked her way to a sitting position. "It did give off a silver light, so that 'Legendary Silver Crystal' thing does apply."

"Yeah, I saw that too," Usagi added. "But I didn't get a real good look at it."

Madi nodded. "Good to know that it _does_ actually exist! Or…it did once upon a time…"

"It most certainly does exist!" Artemis exclaimed, shaking himself. "And it belongs to the Moon Kingdom! Its protection falls to you!"

The girls (minus Etoiledor) stared in amazement at Artemis. "Wait…this thing that everyone's talking about… _we're_ supposed to have it and _we're_ supposed to be protecting it?" Madi asked with force.

"How are we supposed to protect an object that we've never…seen or…had in our posession?" Galing queried.

"And _why_ couldn't you tell us this?!" an enraged Wika asked.

"Because," Etoiledor began, holding her hand up for silence, "it's important that some things come back to your minds naturally. As you can see, some things can't be forced. I didn't know this about Imperium either, but I've grown to trust that Artemis has his reasons for telling me certain things and holding back on others." She looked at Wika. "With all that you've been through, you should trust Luna by now. She's been beside you, guiding you, and taking care of so much that you don't know about. And you just heard Artemis and Luna admit that they made a mistake in not telling us some things. That's an even greater reason to trust them."

Wika paused before looking away and nodding in acquiescence. Usagi thought to herself, "I wonder if Tuxedo Mask will get that trust…"

Naturally, Wika wasn't done with her interrogation. "What about these visions that we've had? The individual ones, different from everyone else."

Etoiledor dropped her eyes and didn't answer. Artemis crept over to her. "You want me to take this one?"

She softly shook her head. "No…I'll take it." Etoiledor took a deep breath and looked up at the girls with uncharacteristically sad eyes. "Things are going to continue to come back to you. It's going to hurt, but you'll remember more and more about your time in Silver Millennium. Specific days…events…people…" Again, she softly shook her head. "And each memory has a cost."

Usagi noticed as Etoiledor's gaze became more and more unfocused. Her voice was full of concern as she asked: "What did…does…it cost you?"

Etoiledor's vision remained far off. "I have lost…but I don't doubt…"

"Don't doubt what?" Galing asked.

Etoiledor paused. She then opened her mouth to speak…

A sudden mechanical whirring caught everyone's attention. Their eyes turned to the source of the sound. As the panel slid open, Usagi began to panic. "Oh, crap! Somebody found us! How are we gonna explain being in here after hours? How are we gonna explain _TALKING CATS_?!"

"Usagi?" came a voice familiar to the Juban district native. She froze as the thin figure made his way downstairs. Her jaw dropped as the dim light illuminated his face.

"Mo…Mo… _Motoki_?!"

The young man smiled. "I guess that you finally made it here!" He turned his attention to Luna. "I just came to check on you before it got too late."

Luna smiled as Usagi (and Galing, and Wika, and Madi) looked on in disbelief. "Oh, we're good down here, sweetie! Thank you!"

Motoki nodded as he took in the two unfamiliar faces. "Etoiledor, Artemis, you getting everyone spun-up?"

"Yes, sir!" Artemis answered with enthusiasm. "We're gonna rock 'em like a hurricane!" He grinned. No one made a sound. "Um…he said 'spun-up'…I said 'rock 'em like a hurricane'…the an old American song …because hurricanes spin …" He sighed. "Ah! Forget it!"

Motoki laughed. "No, no. Keep 'em coming. I need some good 'dad jokes' in my repertoire." He started up the stairs, but paused to snap his fingers and point to Galing. "Don't forget! The next Sailor V Fighter tournament is in six weeks!"

Galing gave her sweet smile. "Thanks, love!"

As Motoki made his way out and closed the panel, Usagi was unsure of which mystery to tackle first. She decided to start with the small one. "Galing, are you still coming here to play the game… _without_ inviting me?"

Shrugging, Galing replied: "You're usually at work."

Usagi turned to the rest of the crew. "Is anyone else sneaking around playing my favorite game behind my back?"

"Um, Usagi," Artemis began in a "thought-that-you-knew-already" tone, "all of the girls play the game. That's what it was meant for."

Usagi was dumbfounded. "…huh?"

Luna turned to the other girls. "Who are your favorite characters to play with?"

"River Warrior," Galing answered.

"Soulflame," Wika responded.

"I actually really like to play with the shape-shifting monkey," Madi stated. Luna gave her a "really?" stare. Madi relented. "Rose Thunder."

Luna turned to Usagi. "Our enemies aren't the only ones who can draw people into their plans! The Sailor V games were specifically made to be attractive to the hidden senshi. And their latent powers would cause them to want to play with their corresponding character. You've never noticed that many of their abilities mirror those of their digital counterparts?"

"Yes, Luna, I have," Usagi answered matter-of-factly. "But where is _my_ character? I always play with Sailor V, and she's standing right here!"

"Oh, don't worry," Etoiledor said. "I only actually use two moves from the game. Feel free to use everything else!"

Madi piped up with a concern. "Hey, Luna, you said that you could draw people into your plans? Is that why the blonde guy came down here? Is he your servant?"

Luna and Artemis broke out in laughter. "No, no, no! Motoki and the Furuhata family are descendants from a long line of 'Keepers.'"

The girls stared at Luna. "Are we supposed to know what that is?" Wika asked acerbically.

Luna rolled her eyes and continued. "The Keepers were the people of Earth who interacted directly with the Moon Kingdom. They familiarized them with the land and kept their earthbound technology in working order. They then passed the duties on to their next generation."

"The history of the Moon Kingdom is known all over the world?" Galing asked.

"Not exactly," Artemis answered. "The destruction of Silver Millennium caused chaos on Earth as well. Many civilizations had to start from scratch. Because little was known about the Moon Kingdom in-depth on Earth, most of what was passed on were legends. Many families forgot about their job as Keepers. Luckily, the Furuhatas never have."

"But there are indeed places on Earth that have had some knowledge of the Moon Kingdom passed on," Luna continued. "Some of the beliefs have been twisted into cults that worship the moon or factions that believe the people of the moon were evil." She hopped from the shelf to the table. "We do indeed have allies all over the globe waiting to help us. _But_ …we have many enemies as well, and not all associated with the Dark Kingdom. You have to be cautious."

"That's why I was travelling so much," Etoiledor added. "Ground recon is still the best way to know what's going on. You don't want to teleport to a place and then come face-to-face with a crime syndicate or wild animals."

The other four girls stared at Etoiledor as if she had just grown another head. Usagi asked what they were all thinking: "Tele…port? Like…sending something from one place…to another…instantly? _That_ kind of teleport?"

Etoiledor rubbed the back of her head and gave an embarrassed laugh. "I kind of buried the lead, huh? Yeah, there's a teleportation pad in the back of-" She quickly hopped up on the lab table as Usagi, Galing, Wicapiwakan, and Madeira thundered past her. As their footsteps stopped at the doorway, the young ladies gawked at the black pad, about four meters in diameter, designed in a concentric style. The small room directly behind it appeared to be a control room.

"Ho…ly…shit!" Wika and Madi exclaimed simultaneously.

"Is this legal?" Galing asked.

"Who cares?!" a grinning Usagi yelled.

Luna and Artemis came up behind them. "Ok, ok ladies," the white cat said. "You'll get to play with this thing soon enough! We still have a little work for you before you go."

Usagi – who was already trying to decide between Hawaii, Fiji, or Tahiti – turned to the cats with that famous look on her face. "What is it this time?"

Luna fixed her with a businesslike look. "Time for the real battle to begin." Usagi's demeanor changed. As the girls all looked back to the cats, Luna sat up straight. "The excellent work that you all and Etoiledor have done has revealed the sources of our enemies' plans. You'll find them quite familiar." Luna and Artemis bounded over to the control panel. The four girls filed after them, with Etoiledor maintaining her position on the lab table. The cats pressed buttons and keyed in commands. After a while, a world map appeared. Three locations were marked. Artemis pressed a button and pictures of three structures popped up.

"You already know about these companies," Artemis began. He highlighted the point in India and a picture popped up.

"A Murugan temple," Wika identified.

"Yep," Artemis ratified. "This is the Jade House in Chennai, India. Every attack with a spiritual component has come through here." He moved the highlight into eastern Russia.

"That looks like a gym," Madi remarked.

"It is. It's also the business office of Never Right Fitness in Khabarovsk, Russia. The Redline monitor, the sports drink…these are the guys." Artemis moved the highlight to the USA, on the south shore of Lake Erie.

"That is a very high-tech little building," Galing said.

"It should be. This is the nerve center for everything that's happened. Not just the electronic attacks, but all of the shipping info, customer records, every interaction between these companies and their subsidiaries comes through here: the home office of Z.O.I. Cyber in Cleveland, Ohio."

Artemis pressed one more button and profile pictures of the persons of interest popped up at each location: a dark-skinned, fresh-faced man with bright eyes and short blonde hair at the Jade House; an athletic, square-jawed man with long, brown hair at Never Right; a thin, medium-brown-skinned man with a blonde faux-hawk flowing into a rat-to-ponytail at Z.O.I. Cyber. Wika, Madi, and Galing all felt their hearts skip a beat. The white cat turned to the girls. "For the last month the Dark Kingdom has brought the fight to us. It's now our turn to go on offense. These men are the ones that we suspect of being in league with the Dark Kingdom. Our next missions will be to take these companies down one-by-one."

Usagi stared at the large screen. She let Artemis' words wash over her. This was indeed going to be a much different mission than before. A full-scale attack? On companies (and a temple)? On foreign soil? Three times? How were they going to manage that? She did indeed have trust in her teammates and the cats. Even though they had just met Etoiledor and Artemis, she could feel the difference in confidence – and, maybe, professionalism – that they brought to the fight. This was going to be scary, but, as usual, it was going to be exciting! However, one thought still floated in her mind.

"What do we do if that woman shows up again?"

A mischievous gleam lit Artemis' eye. "Well, my friends, you have indeed fought well and learned much! But…you still have quite a ways to go. There's plenty more molding and training to do. So, until it's time to strike, I will leave you in the capable hands of Sailor Venus herself!" The girls looked back to Etoiledor. They didn't trust the innocent look on her face.

Artemis cackled. "This is gonna be fun!"

* * *

The three men stood in the dreary light of the throne room. They looked around at the Lovecraftian architecture making up the décor.

"This woman needs an interior decorator," the Z.O.I. Cyber CEO mused.

"What she needs is to send us to find our brother," the face of Never Right Fitness countered. "These girls are not a serious threat. Just a nuisance."

"You shouldn't talk like that," the Guru of the Jade House warned. "You know how she is if she even thinks you're getting smart with her!"

The would-be Olympian gave the youngest member of the group a warm look. "I don't fear prioritizing those that I care about. You, our brother…" He looked over to the brains of the operation. "…even the egg-head with yolk running down his back."

The tech mogul shot a disgusted look back. Of course he wanted their brother back (probably more than the other two combined). But their brother was a grown man who could take care of himself. Right now, they had business to attend to. He said as much to them: "Focus on the task at hand."

The athlete had a nasty reply at the ready: "Focus on-"

His insult was interrupted by a flash and a gust of wind. A maroon swirl heralded a portal opening right in front of the throne. The three men immediately genuflected. Out of the magical doorway stepped the very same woman that the senshi had tangled with earlier that day. It was clear that she was in a bad mood.

The three men greeted her in unison: "Welcome home, Queen Beryl!"

"Rise, my kings," she commanded them, taking care to avoid forwarding her rage onto her subordinates. As they came to their feet, she spoke to the tech mogul. "Zoisite, do we have a plan?"

"Yes, my queen," he responded with his soft voice. "With everything that we've seen plus the additional information that you gave me regarding your encounter today, I think that it's best to change our tactics to expose Imperium."

Beryl settled into her throne. She thrusted her staff into the stone floor so that it stood erect. Leaning forward, she moved her hands around the black crystal ball, gazing into it. Her kings never knew what she was looking at. "Our last plan was a success. The entire city is aware of the crystal. What do you want to change?"

"I want to cause mass disruption. Social upheaval."

"Yes, I'm sure that mobs on the street will expedite the process," the athlete mocked.

"Nephrite, let him speak," Beryl said sternly.

"Apologies, my queen."

Zoisite gave a small smirk before continuing. "My theory is that causing a widespread issue will force the hands of the guardians, making them expend more energy. Since you've been able to sense the power of the crystal when the guardians have been active, keeping them busy will be the best way to pinpoint its location."

She continued to stare. "Interesting."

"My queen, were you able to sense Imperium during your fight with the guardians?" the youth asked.

"I wouldn't call that a fight, Jadeite. That was a personal matter that will be resolved in the future. While the energy was much too weak for the stone to actually be with them, I did feel a penumbra of Imperium when they were close to me."

Zoisite stroked his chin. "'The stuff that dreams are made of.'"

Nephrite nodded. "Then you're right. It is in Tokyo and they are close to discovering it!"

"Now do you understand why I'm prioritizing this over finding Kunzite?" the sorceress asked. Nephrite swallowed hard.

"Forgive him, my queen," Zoisite said quickly. "His concern overwhelmed his priorities. We are all anxious to bring him back."

Queen Beryl gave an annoyed hum, turning her red-eyed gaze to Nephrite. She returned her attention to Zoisite. "So, what exactly is your plan?"

"My queen," Jadeite piped up, "it's actually my plan. I've been crafting it with Zoisite for weeks." He flashed a bright smile. "I guarantee, this will bring glory to the Dark Kingdom!"

* * *

 _ **END OF "DISCOVERY" ARC**_

* * *

Vanakkam! _You may call me Jadeite! Sailor Moon and her guardians will have their hands full trying to stop the chaos that my special items have caused! Would they dare to come and try to face me at my own temple? A horrible mistake. It_ will _give me some time to interact with their team's spiritual warrior, though. Such an interesting girl. Anyway, prepare to see your favorite characters frozen in my grasp next time with " **Circle of Hands**." Until then…_

 **NOTE:** The chapter titles have meaning! FF doesn't allow links to other websites, so if you go to YouTube and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon Playlist** " you'll find the inspiration for the chapter titles! Can you catch the allusion to the songs in each chapter? Enjoy!


	25. Act X: Circle of Hands - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

NAMES: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wicapiwakan/Wika::Rei; Madeira/Madi::Makoto; Etoiledor/E.B.::Minako) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 _ **START OF "AWAKENINGS" ARC**_

* * *

 **Act X: Circle of Hands**

 _What the heck is going on? Kids in Tokyo all of a sudden going crazy? Well, we know who's behind this! The Dark Kingdom is up to their usual evil, but now it's our turn to go after them! But who exactly is this mysterious man known as Jet Vattam? Why is he hurting people? And…why does he keep looking at Wika like that? It's an Indian adventure that you don't want to miss! The Sailor Senshi are here and we will punish this evil!_

 **Part 1: Jēṭ vaṭṭam (** **ஜேட்** **வட்டம்** **)**

With the morning sun climbing high into the sky and the temperature quickly rising towards its goal of 40°C, a group of four people walked through one of the many beautiful gardens of the Jade House in Chennai, India. Leading the pack on this meditational journey was a young, dark-skinned man. His boyish handsomeness made it easier for his followers to believe that he was indeed sent by Kartikeya himself to modernize worship. The Guru relaxed his mind, taking in the beauty around him. A small smile appeared on his face as he thought about the beautiful headline that he'd read earlier in the morning: "Chaos among Tokyo youth."

"Guru," a fellow Tamil Nadu native began carefully, "I don't mean to lack faith, but…why are you asking for these changes to the Vaikasi Visakham celebration?"

"A new age needs a new guidepost," he answered cheerfully, blonde hair shining brightly in the sunlight.

"I understand," a Brussels-born believer answered. "But how do we address these concerns with the followers? Some of them are scared. Your teachings have been amazing, but as they veer further from the Murugan that the people know…well…people get very uncomfortable. Then they'll talk about things like feeling a chill at the height of worship instead of a warm sensation-"

"And frightening visions!" the first concerned party interrupted, "I've heard from many who say that their dreams and visions are clouded over in a red fog!" He sighed. "Guru, some are thinking of leaving the Jade House!"

The Guru looked back to the trio with a gentle smile. "Don't worry! When the time comes, all will join us. History is being shaped above us and we are privileged to be alive to see it!" He placed his thumb on the first man's forehead. "Keep your third eye open. Ignore the doubts and focus on the future. You will be the first to bear witness…to a new god!"

The three exchanged uneasy looks as they followed the Guru to the door of the temple. The Guru placed his hand on the temple's emblem: a rooster sitting on a green circle with an astroid etched inside. The young man stopped and turned back. He locked his eyes on the smallest of the group: a young woman only a couple of years younger than himself. Shyly, she dropped her gaze. The Guru kept staring in silence until she lifted her eyes again.

"And what did _you_ want to tell me?" he asked gently.

The teenager stammered out a response: "I-I…I had a vision."

The Guru nodded. "Tell me."

She shuffled. "I s-saw…five lights…stars! Five stars falling from the moon." She affixed the young man with a frightened look. "Their light burned this temple down!"

His face didn't change. "Did your vision give you a date?"

"…today!"

The two accompanying followers slowly turned their gaze from the girl to the Guru. The young man gave a slight smile. "Clear the temple and the property within the next two hours. This is a threat that I will have to face myself."

* * *

Sighing with satisfaction, Etoiledor stepped out of the steamy shower room. There was nothing better for relaxation after a nice morning gym workout. Maybe next time she'd join in with the new class that the other patrons were raving about. As she dried herself off her hand struck a sore spot on her thigh. She gave a light chuckle at the pain. "Madi got me good."

After the incident in Akigawa, Etoiledor had taken the girls out for training every day that they were available. The Parisian made it clear to the others that their senshi forms were not uniform in strength. Instead, they were a powerful enhancement of the abilities that they already possessed. Naturally, this meant that the girls needed to work on their physical strength, endurance, reflexes, explosiveness, and agility, both while transformed and while in their civilian states. While the girls understood what was going on, they didn't all take to the training that well. Etoiledor recalled her amusement as a basic parkour drill sent her comrades to the ground in various pained positions.

Training also meant perfecting fighting styles by improving both their special attacks and their hand-to-hand combat prowess. It became immediately clear that the fighting skills of Usagi, Galing, and Wika were still inchoate. Madi's problem was on the other side of the spectrum: she was so knowledgeable and so skilled that she fought with a bit of overconfidence. Exploiting this, Etoiledor mixed her normal savate strikes with an unexpected headbutt to topple the martial arts master. A shocked and frustrated Madi retorted by kicking her in the leg.

Face washed, long hair brushed, and wearing a cute sundress, Etoiledor headed out from her small apartment above the Furuhatas' market bound for the nearby breakfast restaurant. The damp smell left by the overnight rain belied the bright sunshine currently lighting the area. As she passed Juban Middle School she saw a group of boys heading towards her. She gave them a sweet smile as they passed.

Out of nowhere, Etoiledor felt a strong, cool breeze over her buttocks. Gasping, she instinctively threw her hand over her backside and wheeled around. Her look of surprise was greeted with a smug smirk from one of the young men. His arm was still in the follow-through position.

"I thought that American women wore sexy panties!" the boy (mistakenly) teased. "I'm disappointed!"

Etoiledor was irate. "You little-"

"Next time we come through, we want to see the good stuff, baby!" one of the other boys chimed in.

Etoiledor's face turned red as the boys laughed and headed into school. "What the hell is up with those kids?"

* * *

Usagi was wiping down tables just before noon. She had forgotten to do so yesterday and the lunch rush customers were not pleased at all. While she was on the final table, a group of high school girls burst in. This was interesting seeing as it was a school day. They were extremely loud and chatty, disrupting the atmosphere for the few people already seated in the café. The group helped themselves to a booth.

"Hey, dropout! Come here!"

Usagi arched an eyebrow and slowly turned her head in the direction of the voice.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you! The one who obviously didn't finish high school!"

Irritated, Usagi walked over to the booth. The girls were wearing too much makeup (and wearing it poorly at that) and were attempting (again, poorly) to make their uniforms look "sexy." Usagi feigned a smile. "Actually, I did graduate from Juban High School-"

"Then you're a failure!" one of the girls shot back. "A woman your age, working as a waitress? Pathetic!" The girls laughed as Usagi seethed. "Get us some oolong tea! Quickly!"

Usagi turned and walked towards the back of the café. The manager's look of concern helped assuage her anger a little bit (and knowing her manager, the girls would be kicked out very soon). But…Usagi couldn't get over this…weird feeling that she got from…

Usagi gasped in realization. "Oh no…"

* * *

"Children! We have a tight schedule today! I need you to get to work!"

The responses to Galing's plea were unkind to say the least. They ranged from exaggerated yawns and rolled eyes to orders for her silence and even an insult about her hair. The Aussie scanned the room. Indeed, some of the students were trying to study, but that task was proving quite difficult with half of the class going wild. Cell phones were out, playing the hot, new game. Gossip was flying regardless of who was listening. There was even a couple that appeared to be on the verge of acting with amorous intent.

Though exasperated, Galing let her mind work. This simply did not seem natural. Half of the kids suddenly becoming disrespectful demons? Overnight? No, there was something else at play here. This would require investigation. But not before she needed to break up the imminent fight in the back of the room…

* * *

"Yeah, I can take you! You're not so tough!"

"Then I'm next!"

"I'm tired of looking up at you! Why don't I cut you down to size?"

Madeira had heard enough. This was a dojo, and she was the sensei. If these kids wanted to prove something, she'd let them. Slowly, distinctly, through clenched teeth, she responded. "Go and put on your gi."

The Brazilian stood in the center of the mat waiting for the mouthy students to return. When they came downstairs, their clothes weren't the only things that had changed.

"Uhh…Madi-sensei? I know what we said…but…that's not what we want to do."

"Yeah! We love you as our teacher!"

Madi looked totally confused. "Then…why did you say those things?"

The kids shrugged. "I don't know," one of them answered. "All day today I just felt…different."

Having experienced plenty of unexplained things recently, Madi's heart dropped.

* * *

"Evil spirit, be exorcised!"

The young man took a deep breath as the foreign miko placed the ofuda on his forehead. As he exhaled, his body relaxed, releasing the tension. No one else on the courtyard noticed, but Wicapiwakan's sharp, violet-lavender eyes picked up on a subtle blue glow in the boy's shirt pocket. As the young man shook off the cleansing sensation, she stealthily removed the object. The boy's mother came over to them, asking her son how he felt. When he acknowledged that he felt clearer, she cast a wary eye to the miko and gave a careful thanks.

Sighing, Wika turned and walked away from the small crowd that had gathered. Upon reaching her quarters, she pulled the object out of her robes. Her familiarity with it led to a loud profanity. She immediately pulled out her phone and texted the girls (and cats): "We need to meet TONIGHT!"

* * *

" _That's_ what's causing this?"

Wika nodded at Madi's question and tossed the object – a small charm – onto the lab table. "Individually, the enchantment is almost imperceptible, so it makes sense that the effect is very localized. The real problem is when they're grouped together. We got a free 'sample' delivery of these at the temple two days ago. As soon as they approached me with the package, I made them take it back. I could feel the evil energy radiating from it from 500 feet away."

Usagi shook her head. "Wow! Cursing good luck amulets? The Dark Kingdom fights dirty!"

"It was a brilliant plan," Galing added. "Trinkets specially designed for each ward. Giving them away to the shrines as samples. Advertising through social media as a big, single-day only release. Different colorful designs for different wishes and prayers."

"Irresistible to children!" Luna spat in disgust.

"Well, it's all over the news," Artemis said from across the room. "Hospital rooms and temples are full of people trying to rein in their rowdy kids." He turned back with a grin. "Says here that there's a ton of people at Hikawa Shrine asking for help from the short-tempered miko!"

Wika gave an unamused stare. "It does _not_ say that!"

"But I wouldn't be surprised if it did," Luna said quietly.

"Ok, we all have a story from today. But _that_ makes us no different than anyone else in Tokyo," Etoiledor said. "The difference is that we know what's going on. Time to take care of this."

"Are we sure that we want to act?" Galing asked.

"Uh… _yeah_! We're here to save the city!" Madi answered.

Galing's face was extra-contemplative. "I can't shake the feeling that running around the city trying to stem this epidemic is exactly what our enemies want us to do."

Etoiledor stared at the curly-haired nurse practitioner. "What are you basing this on?"

"The Dark Kingdom seems to have shifted their tactics. The last energy-gathering scheme that we know about was the photo expo. Since then they've focused on getting the word out about Imperium and luring us into a confrontation with that woman." Galing turned her gaze to Etoiledor. "This event seems to be madness for the purpose of spreading madness. There's no other objective. They want us wearing ourselves out."

"Some extra info for you girls: no surprise here," Artemis called, "Tracking the shipping and production back to its source, this is the work of the Jade House!"

Wika's fists clenched.

"Cool!" Usagi exclaimed. "Sailor V…uhh…Etoiledor, you can let the police know what we found, right?"

Etoiledor hesitated. "Artemis? Can we?"

The white cat nervously rubbed the fur on his head. "Well…they may want to know how we got the information…so…"

"The way that you gather information isn't above board, is it? You run a hacking operation," Galing construed.

Madi waved her hands in front of her. "Hey, I'm not trying to get in trouble for espionage!"

"Ladies," Luna began, "our first priority is always to use open-source information. We only dig into secure databases when absolutely necessary. If any secured data that we find doesn't directly relate to us fighting the Dark Kingdom, rest assured that we won't look at it." She looked at the girls. They didn't seem convinced. She sighed. "We're fighting evil here. We can't go to the authorities to stop Ghost Brides! We only do what we must!" She shook her head. "If you feel bad about how we gather data, then the next phase of the mission will be very, very difficult."

Usagi's suspicious side kicked in. "And…what's this phase?"

"Jet Vattam," Artemis answered. "The 20-year-old boy wonder whose interpretation of Kartikeya has shaken southern India!" He turned to Usagi. "Like I told you last time: we're taking the fight to them! We know that the Jade House is responsible not just for what's going on now, but for all the past spiritual attacks as well. Now we go, find out what their plans are, find out exactly how they're achieving their goals, and put a stop to it! We still need to put some details into our plan, but everyone's off this weekend, correct?"

Usagi pouted. She had made plans with Naru for Saturday and was hoping to meet up with Olugbeja on Sunday. But…this mission meant a trip to India! She had never been outside of Japan before! But…wait. How were they going to…? Her eyes lit up.

" _ARE WE TAKING THE TELEPORTER TO INDIA?!_ "

"Usagi!" Luna snapped. "This space is secure, but that doesn't mean that you have to yell out our plans!"

Usagi covered her mouth. "Ok, ok! I'm sorry. It's just…we're going to _India_ by _teleporter_!

Luna closed her eyes in frustration. But when she looked up at Galing, Madi, Wika, and even Etoiledor, it was evident that they were _all_ very excited. She laughed softly. "Ok girls, it's going to be a long, hard weekend!"

"No harder than this past week, I bet!" Madi retorted, glaring at Etoiledor while rubbing the bump on her forehead.

"Oh, a little practice never hurt anyone!" Etoiledor responded.

"A little?" Wika asked dryly. "Jumping from rock-to-rock up a hill? Then a 2-mile run on bruised legs? There's a reason why I never joined the military!"

"You are quite a slave-driver!" Galing concurred.

Artemis laughed. "It'll suit you guys well in the future! I put E.B. through a lot and look at her now. She's just paying it forward."

"Anyway, you all need to get some rest," Luna concluded. "Oh, but Wika, Galing? Can you stay for a few minutes so that we can discuss some things?"

As Wika and Galing moved towards the control panel, Usagi and Madi activated the floor panel and made their way upstairs. They couldn't hold their excitement as they left the arcade. "WOW! India! How awesome is that gonna be?" Madi gushed.

"Oh, I know!" A dreamy look passed over Usagi's face. "Curry, samosas…all kinds of other food I've never had! This is gonna be great!" She began to do her imitation of a Bollywood dance. "Next stop, Indi-" Her celebration was cut short by an impact. It felt as if she had just unwittingly backed into someone. She wheeled around to confirm her suspicions, and found Motoki picking pears up off of the ground. Usagi covered her mouth in realization. A moment before she could apologize and help, a smooth sound caught her ear:

"Motoki, is everything alright?"

Usagi's (and Madi's) eyes darted to the market's side doorway. Sure enough, within a few seconds, a familiar brown face appeared.

"O…Olugbeja?! What are you doing here?" Usagi demanded.

"Stalking you obviously," he replied with a smirk. Seeing that Madi wasn't taking it as a joke, he clarified. "I met Motoki about a week ago. We got to talking and I was invited for dinner. Now I'm just helping him move some produce."

Usagi looked the Nigerian up and down. This was the first time that she had seen him in jeans and tennis shoes. And wearing the Furuhatas' store apron? Adorable!

"Well, Usagi's skilled at moving produce as well…with a little assist from gravity!" Motoki chuckled at his own joke, then turned his attention to Madi. "Hey! I'm sorry, didn't mean to be rude. I'm Motoki!"

Usagi looked over as Madi failed to answer. She was absolutely shocked to see the Brazilian blushing and flustered.

"I…I'm…Madeira," she stammered, averting her eyes.

"Nice to meet you! Hope to see you around some more!" Motoki turned and walked towards the door. "This is the last box. Once everything's set out we'll be all done!"

"Sounds good," Olugbeja answered as Motoki went past him. "I'll be in there in a minute." He turned back to Usagi and a seemingly recovering Madi. He then switched his speech to Yoruba: "What was this business about India?"

The girls gasped. "W-w-w…what? What are you talking about?" Usagi asked.

Olugbeja shrugged. "You were the ones taking about India and curry. It sounded like you…or your alter-ego…had a trip coming up."

"Oh! No, no, no!" Usagi denied animatedly. "We're just…umm…"

"Talking about recipes," Madi finished. "I like to try new recipes."

"I _have_ heard that you're an amazing cook. I'll have to sample one day." He turned to go into the market. "Enjoy whatever this weekend brings you, ladies. Usagi, we'll talk later."

As Olugbeja disappeared into the store (with that little smirk on his face), Usagi and Madi quickly walked away heading for the train station. "Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!" Usagi exclaimed while hitting herself in the head with both fists.

"Look! I'll make some masala dosa and we'll stick with our story!" Madi sighed. "Keeping secrets is harder than I thought!" She gave Usagi a questioning look. "But, since he knows already, why didn't you tell him the truth?"

"You heard Luna. No telling him if he doesn't need to know." Her eyes became wistful. "It would be nice to go with him, though."

The girls approached the station and prepared to part. Before saying goodbye, Usagi had one more question: "What made you freeze up with Motiki?"

Madi blushed again and gave an atypical shy smile. "He reminds me of an old boyfriend…"

* * *

Palpable eagerness saturated the command center as Madi, Wika, and Etoiledor waited for Artemis (who had Galing shadowing him) to finish the preparations for transport. Even Usagi, patron saint of tardiness, made the meetup time of 1500.

At the command panel, Luna was finishing up her work. She sighed as one of the other monitors played an international newscast that was talking about the hottest worldwide headline: "Chaos among Tokyo youth."

"Girls," Luna called, "are you sure that you want to leave the distribution of this message to Mr. Umino?"

"The Negaverse has been gaining readership consistently since it first started," Etoiledor responded. "And there's no way that they'll be able to resist playing the part of the hero!"

"I agree," Wika added. "And it will only take a few people to understand the connection between the amulets and the attitudes before the solution spreads like wildfire."

Artemis bounded out of the back room and onto the circular pad. "Alright, team! I think that we're ready! Luna's got your passports-"

"But they will NOT pass a close inspection!" Luna interjected. "Just keep a low profile. Get to where you need to go and back without making a scene!" She turned to Usagi. "And since you don't have one…" Luna grimaced, "…try not to stand out."

As no fewer than three people in the room held back laughter, Usagi gave a smirk. "Well! If things get _too_ bad, I can just change into a local person!"

Etoiledor turned to her comrades. "Ok. The pad in Chennai is actually about 2 meters underground. When we arrive, we'll be on the ground directly above it. The location is the ruins near the St. Mary's church within Fort St. George. We'll come up behind the tombs."

Wiki jumped in: "A church? Won't there be people around?"

"The location is pretty well-hidden. If we stay low, we can get to the visitor's walkways without much trouble." Etoiledor smiled. "And if someone sees us somewhere that we shouldn't be, we can pretend to be irresponsible foreigners looking for a killer Instagram shot!"

Galing looked concerned. "How do we _know_ the exact location of the pad?"

"The work that Luna, E.B. and I have done," Artemis answered. "Over the past few years, we've had our allies search and help us to discover the technology of the Moon Kingdom that still exists."

"There used to be thousands of pieces of moon technology on Earth," Luna added. "Right now, we've only successfully located about 300 working pieces."

Madi clapped her hands for attention. "Ok, ok. Are we done talking? Because I'm ready to go! C'mon!"

Despite her excitedness, Wika sighed with a touch of trepidation. "We don't even know how this thing works…"

"Artemis tried to explain some things to me," Galing offered, "but his explanation challenged my knowledge of physics. All I can say is that it's not like a sci-fi show where you're taken apart molecule-by-molecule and re-configured. We'll be transferred whole."

Etoiledor stepped onto the pad and knelt near the center. "I'm with Madi. It's time to go, ladies! We've got a job to do!" Exchanging looks of mixed emotions, the remaining girls walked over and followed suit. Artemis and Luna bounded into the control room.

"Luna?!" Usagi yelped. "You're not coming with us?"

"Don't worry! Our comm link will remain open," Luna soothed. "Artemis and I will stay here and monitor your progress. You'd be a lot more suspicious walking around with cats."

"Ok, warriors! Hold hands, and close your eyes. This is going to feel a little weird." Artemis followed his statement with some button pushing. White lights within the pad began to glow and propagate outward. The girls (minus Etoiledor) began to sweat and shiver.

"Relax," Etoiledor said softly. "This is the fun part!"

"We'll see you back here in a few hours! Good luck, senshi!" Artemis boomed. With that, he dramatically threw his paw in the air and then smashed it down onto the activation button. The pad glowed brilliantly and the girls' hair and outfits billowed softly. With a final flash, the five women were gone.

Luna sighed. "Usagi…" Her thought was interrupted by an unexpected shutdown of all electric equipment. A few seconds later, they all became active again.

"Oops…"

Luna turned sharply to Artemis. "What do you mean, 'oops'?"

Artemis laughed shakily. "That may have used a little too much electricity! We've got backup power, but the rest of the block might not be so lucky!"

Luna rolled her eyes in disgust and laid her forehead on the transporter control panel. "We're off to a wonderful start!"

* * *

Afraid to open her eyes, Usagi continued to kneel, squeezing the hands of those next to her.

"You're hurting me," came Wika's annoyed voice.

"Are…are we…?" Usagi stammered.

"Open your eyes and see," Etoiledor answered, wrenching her hand from Usagi's vise.

Slowly, carefully, Usagi opened one eye. With her vision directed downward, she could see that she was no longer kneeling on a black pad…but on the ground. Opening her other eye, and looking around, she could see that she was surrounded by ruins…and walls. A few meters away, Madi was standing on a sidewalk, dancing with joy.

"Madi, let's try not to attract attention, alright?" Galing suggested from her location next to the ruins. "Come on people! We have a clear shot to get to the sidewalk and blend in as tourists." With that word, Etoiledor walked over to Madi. Wika pulled Usagi up from the ground and they too, with Galing following, walked to the sidewalk.

"E.B.? Girls? Are you ok?"

"We're fine, Artemis! All in one piece," Etoiledor answered.

"You were right," Madi added. "That did feel weird…but, awesome!"

"Ok ladies, keep a-"

"Low profile." Usagi was nice enough to finish Luna's statement for her. Luna's growl indicated that she didn't appreciate the gesture.

"Don't worry Luna," Galing said. "We'll keep things under control."

The girls looked around to see that they were in the shadows of the 300-year-old building's tower. To one side were old tombstones. In the distance, they could see the interior walls of the old fort. Making their way out of the tourist area, the group was greeted with a line of taxis waiting for passengers. Etoiledor walked up and greeted a van driver, asking for a ride to the Jade House. After nearly having a heart attack at the sound of a blonde European speaking perfect Tamil, the driver agreed to take them.

As the scenery of Chennai passed, Usagi was apprehensive about the next step. "So…what exactly are we planning to do when we get there?"

"The first step is recon," Wika answered. "We don't want to make any waves or have a confrontation in the middle of the day with a bunch of people around. We'll get the lay of the land at first, then plan to come back later to do more investigating."

"Our intel says that Jet Vattam spends most of his time on the temple grounds. We'll have to be very careful moving around," Etoiledor added. "Any records will most likely be wherever he uses as an office. When the time is opportune, we'll move." She smiled at Usagi. "In the meantime, we'll be able to sample some of that local food that you've been craving!"

The taxi pulled up to the entrance. As the girls spilled out, Etoiledor handed over the rupees that she had gotten from the currency exchange yesterday. After the vehicle pulled away, the young women stood, bathed in the heat of the noontime sunshine, staring at the doors of the colorful, towering structure in front of them. Intricate designs and gold-plated artwork reflected the symbols of the Hindu deity Kartikeya. "Who's gonna knock?" Madi asked.

Wika walked forward. "Come on. It's a temple. All are welcome. Let's take a look at what we've got." As Wika made her way to the doors and opened them, the others carefully followed, with Etoiledor making sure that the cats knew that they had arrived. Once inside, they were awed by the opulence of the interior of the building: statues carved from precious minerals lined the expansive hallway. The ceiling looked like polished gold. Even the floor shined like pure silver! "I guess that evil _does_ pay!" Wika remarked.

After walking down the long corridor, the group exited the building and came to a beautiful garden. Stone statues of Hindu gods, intricate water fountains, and gorgeous floral arrangements lined the walkways and open greenspaces. "Oh! These would be awesome selfies!" Usagi whined.

"I'm more worried about the fact that we haven't run into a single person in this entire time," Etoiledor said while scoping the premises. The young women continued to search the expansive grounds, eventually coming to the edge of a clearing lined with statues and fountains. Wika gasped and snapped her head towards the other end of the open field, eyes wide open.

"Pheta, what is it?" Galing asked.

"I…I felt something…some _one_ …" Wika stammered as she continued to stare. The other girls turned to gaze in the same direction. About 100m away, slowly walking towards them, was a solitary figure. The girls tensed as the person continued their approach. Once he closed the gap to about 30m, it was obvious to the group that this was the young man that they had been sent to confront: Jet Vattam.

"So much for sneaking around," Madi said.

"Artemis, Luna…he's here," Etoiledor radioed in.

"Copy," Artemis immediately answered. "Be careful!"

As the young man came closer, his eyes focused on Wika. Transfixed, she felt something in her spirit…move. While every other member of the quintet was feeling uneasy, there was something extra that Wika couldn't deny… _a connection_.

Once the youth closed the gap to about 10m he paused. For an instant, he wondered why they were not in Tokyo handling the crisis among the young people, but his mind quickly recalled the words of his young, female follower. Still, there was no need to be rude! The young man pressed his hands together and gave a slight bow. " _Vanakkam_!"

The ladies hesitated before Wika carefully answered: " _Vanakkam_. You must be Jet."

Jet nodded. "And you must be the five stars that fell from the moon." He smiled knowingly. "The new goddess has told of your arrival."

Wika's eyes narrowed. "Do any other Murugan temples talk about a 'new' goddess?"

"History is being written as we speak," he answered. "Soon, the goddess will fully awaken and bring a new enlightenment to this world!"

Usagi couldn't hold her curiosity. "Umm…hi…Jet, is it? What are you talking about?"

Jet fixed her with a cold stare. "The goddess of the sun's flame; destroyer of the false light of the moon."

Usagi's heart skipped a beat. There was that sensation again! There was something very important and familiar with what this guy just said…but she couldn't place it! But, at this point, whatever. Based on everything that she had learned recently, she was sure that the real meaning would come soon enough. Right now, they had to deal with this guy as the dangerous leader of the Jade House!

"Look, I don't know what perverted teachings you're giving out here," Wika started, "but we know that you're in league with the Dark Kingdom."

Etoiledor spoke up: "We have no desire to fight-"

"Speak for yourself!" Madi growled.

Etoiledor continued: "…but we can't let your plans continue. You're responsible for hurting people worldwide. The Jade House must be stopped."

Jet tilted his head in mock concern. "So, not only do you want me to renounce the new goddess, but you also want me to defy my queen?"

Usagi didn't need a weird sensation to catch his meaning there. "Your queen?! That crazy-haired witch-lady?!"

Etoiledor steeled herself. "I guess that we're doing it the hard way!" She produced her pin and called her phrase:

"Venus power…MAKE…UP!"

Suddenly surrounded by gleaming points of light in an incandescent space, Etoiledor felt her body take off as if launched out of a cannon. Behind her, a trail of golden stars acted as a would-be comet's tail. As her momentum brought her back to her original location, she performed a little spin, allowing the stars to encircle her. Holding her pin in the air, she let the stars fall onto her body and below her feet. From the ground, an explosion of golden light and ribbons shot skyward. As the glow faded, Sailor Venus was revealed. With the orange-clad warrior making her appearance, the others immediately followed suit:

"Mercury power…"

"Mars power…"

"Jupiter power…"

"Moon Prism power…"

"MAKE…UP!"

Jet watched with interest as the young ladies in front of him transformed into the guardians that he had heard so much about. While he was very interested in finding out what they could do, he had an important assignment…and they had come here to interfere.

"Wh-what do we do?" Sailor Moon asked.

"We have to subdue him," Sailor Venus answered, pulling the chain off of her waist.

Sailor Mercury was unnerved by the boy's calm, pleasant demeanor. "Something tells me that this won't be easy…"

Despite her unease, Sailor Jupiter stepped forward. "If he's got a trick, let's make him use it!" As she moved forward, the other four stepped with her.

As soon as the senshi began to move, Jet raised his hand in the air and swept his arm in a full clockwise circle. He then returned his hands to his greeting position, bowed his head and closed his eyes.

As he went through his arm motion, subtle shimmering flickers caught Sailor Mars' eye: there was something in the air moving around him…very hard to see…translucent like glass…or ice. She stopped, unsure if the others had noticed the objects. As the transparent disks became a bit more opaque, Mars could now see that each one was engraved with a symbol. She squinted in recognition…

"Man…mandalas?"

At that instant, Jet's head snapped up. Before Mars could shout a warning to her teammates, Jet thrust his palm forward with a strong grunt. Instinctively, Mars shielded herself with her arms. From the force of his motion, she felt a very powerful, nearly paralyzing chill pass through her body. After a few seconds, the sensation subsided. Carefully, Sailor Mars looked up to see Jet standing there, looking pleased. She looked around to see how the others were doing…but saw no one else standing. A twitching motion in her peripheral vision beckoned her to look down. The blood drained from her face.

Sailors Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter were all lying on their backs. Their faces painfully contorted as their eyes were wide open and their mouths gasping for air. Their bodies spazzed and shivered as they feebly tried to move their locked limbs. Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus were now sheet white. The skin color of the darker complexioned Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury had now taken on a sickly bluish hue.

"W-w-wik-k-k-k…W-wik-ka…" Sailor Moon stammered through colorless lips and chattering teeth, while trying her hardest to stretch her hand towards the stunned Sailor Mars. Of course! This was the strongest spiritual attack that she had ever felt. Her resistance these types of assaults (barely) allowed her to stay standing in this case. For everyone else, they needed her touch of protection. Sailor Mars rushed over and reached down…

The Senshi of Passion screamed as a vicious volley of icy spiritual energy drove her backwards, five meters away from Sailor Moon and the others. Unable to help her teammates and shivering from the attack, Sailor Mars looked up at the young man approaching her. "Jet…Vattam…" she panted, "you won't-"

He stopped in the midst of the downed senshi and interrupted Mars: "Actually…when I'm going about my queen's business, please don't refer to me as 'Jet.'" The young Guru smiled.

"Call me Jadeite."

* * *

 _Hey! You can't leave now! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be right back!_

[Go to **YouTube** and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon** " for access to **Etoiledor's Playlist**! Did you catch the lyrical allusion from this chapter's title? (It might be in the next part…)]


	26. Act X: Circle of Hands - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

NAMES: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wicapiwakan/Wika::Rei; Madeira/Madi::Makoto; Etoiledor/E.B.::Minako) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act X: Circle of Hands**

 _Ready for more adventure? Time for more of The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2: Jadeite**

"Usagi?! Etoiledor? Galing? Madi? Wika? Someone, say _something_!"

"I'm still here, but everyone else is down!" Mars answered breathlessly from her hiding spot.

"Usagi! Usagi! Come in!" Luna commanded.

A barely audible reply came: "C-c-can't...m-move…"

"Sailor Mars, what happened?"

"We were-" a sudden screech escaped her throat as a cold hand took a swipe at her, forcing her to dodge. Sailor Mars scrambled to her feet, once again creating some distance between herself and the young Tamil man now identified as Jadeite.

"Calling for help? So, you guardians don't do things for yourselves?" Jadeite smiled as an icy appendage grew from his upturned palm: a peacock feather. With a flick of the wrist Jadeite fanned the single weapon into several, loaded up and hurled the barrage at Mars. "Acting without desire will not lead you to enlightenment!"

Mars leapt and sprinted from the attack. It was clear that Jadeite's plan was to keep her from the other senshi. She had to find a way in. While formulating a plan, she decided to retort his statement.

"Our desire is pure, therefore, so are our actions. This will lead us to true wisdom, living lives that bless others."

Jadeite gave Mars an astonished look. "A fellow student of the gods? I had a feeling that there was something special about you!" He took a few steps towards her, readying more peacock feathers in his hands. Mars' eyes darted around for the nearest shelter. "Am I wrong in thinking that you've been able to sense the spiritual for most of your life?"

For an instant, Sailor Mars locked eyes with her opponent. Jadeite used this hesitation to menacingly flash his attack, causing Mars to run towards the nearest statue. Before she reached it, she looked back to Jadeite: the attack was still in his hand, a broad smile on his face. "It's rather rude not to answer a question posed to you."

Becoming annoyed with his confidence, Sailor Mars answered: "Yeah, you're right. I've always been able to."

Jadeite dissolved the icy feathers. "I'm sure that a gift such as that makes many...unenlightened people...hesitant around you."

Sailor Mars, trying to surreptitiously charge an ofuda, answered again. "Yeah. Congrats. You're psychic."

"No, that's not my gift." He motioned to the downed senshi. "You see what I can do with the spirit."

Mars sneered. "Such an honorable use of your power!"

Jadeite closed his eyes and nodded. "It was a bit cruel, yes. But sometimes one has to be unforgiving...when they become a king."

"A...king?!" Mars asked incredulously.

Jadeite laughed lightly. "Thank my queen for the title. However, I wouldn't expect you to look down on my methods. Mars is a god of war after all...as is Kartikeya." He once again began to approach Sailor Mars. "Even further, the planet associated with Kartikeya is…"

"Mangala...Mars. Yeah, I know," Sailor Mars finished, taking a few steps backwards.

Shaking his head in admiration, Jadeite upturned his palms again, icy mist swirling around them. "Have you committed yourself so deeply to the teachings that you've followed Kartikeya's example of celibacy?"

Sailor Mars looked offended. "What the hell?!"

Jadeite stopped in his tracks. "You don't approve of that kind of oath?"

"I don't approve of some random asshole asking me about my sex life!"

"Sailor Mars, can you please get back to the task at hand?" Luna pleaded in her ear.

"Your forgiveness, please. I overstepped," Jadeite responded, pressing his hands and bowing in apology. "But I can't help but think that if you dedicated yourself fully to this path, you could be a woman of amazing influence!"

"I'm already dedicated to a path!" Mars shot back.

Jadeite sighed. "Of course…these other guardians and your mission…" A strong burst of mist began to emanate from his hand. Sailor Mars looked in horror as a long, thin object formed within his grasp. Jadeite smiled widely as he admired his creation. "Vel Murugan: the divine spear. I think that this will be perfect to separate the souls from the bodies of your friends. Then you can fully give yourself to my teachings!" He turned and began walking towards the downed quartet. "Now, who shall be first?"

Incensed, Sailor Mars rushed at Jadeite's back. "Don't you touch them, you bastard!"

Hearing her footsteps approach, Jadeite smirked. Once he calculated that she was within range, he quickly wheeled and thrust his spear. His smile dropped as Mars executed her own athletic spin: with her back to his chest, she deflected his weapon-wielding hand, and while completing the turn she shoved her ofuda directly into his forehead.

" _EVIL SPIRIT BE EXORCISED_!"

With all of her strength, Sailor Mars pressed the talisman against her opponent, who was now yelling in pain. The familiar blue flames seemed to be moving under his skin. As her physical and spiritual strength forced Jadeite down to one knee, she could see the fire struggling to move through his face and down his neck. Sweating and groaning, Jadeite clenched his fists and his teeth. As he concentrated, the flames stopped their downward progress…and began to move the other way! Not only could Sailor Mars see the reversal, she could also feel the flow of power backing up. Groaning under the strain, Mars pushed her spirit as hard as she could, evening the struggle to a stalemate. With sweat dripping from her own brow, she looked into Jadeite's eyes. The Guru's grimace turned into a smile. With a loud growl, his energy overcame that of Sailor Mars. The flames rushed back towards Mars' ofuda, and as the energy flow fully reversed, a paralyzing chill ran up her left arm. Sailor Mars screamed in pain and ran for the nearest statue.

Jadeite returned to his full height and shook off the effects of the battle. His tossed his blonde as he slowly walked over to Mars' hiding spot. "Your spiritual power is lacking," he said. "Again, I ask you to study under me. I'll take your abilities to places you couldn't imagine."

Arm throbbing, ice cold, and immobilized, an unnerved Sailor Mars ran through her options: clearly she was outclassed as far as attack power was concerned, so she couldn't risk another exposure to his assault. However, retreat was certainly not possible with the other four senshi at his mercy. Her only viable course of action: she had to figure out a way to get past Jadeite and get the others back into the fray. She looked towards her teammates. They were still down, but Mars noticed a little more motion.

"Guys!" she whispered. "Can you hear me? Can you move?"

"I can...move my arms a bit," Venus weakly replied, "but not enough...to get up."

"Well, you've got one up on me," Mars responded. "But don't worry...I'll be over there soon." Using her still-available hand, Mars extended her index finger. She took a deep breath and concentrated: "Rin…Pyou…Tou…Sha…Kai…Jin…Retsu…Zai…Zen!" The feeling wasn't nearly as strong as it normally was, but she could feel a little fire in her soul. And that would be just enough.

"A chant? Whatever is that for?" Jadeite inquired as he reached the opposite side of the statue that Sailor Mars was hiding behind. "I know that you can't conjure up anything to overcome me...so...what are you planning?" The Guru carefully peeked around the statue's pillar, trying to catch any offensive move that the senshi would make. Peering around to the other side, a fluttering ofuda caught his attention. He instinctively readied his defense, but once he noticed that there was no warrior attached to the talisman, he turned to the other side...and came face-to-finger with Sailor Mars.

"Fire soul, ignite!"

Even though she was unable to create a full fireball with one hand out of commission, the attack command did allow her to set off a strong detonation from her finger. The flash and bang were enough to stun Jadeite. With her opponent staggering, Sailor Mars sprinted towards the rest of the senshi. "I'm here! I'm here!" she screamed as she ran. With considerable effort, Sailor Venus was able to raise her arm a few inches off of the ground. Finally reaching her destination, Sailor Mars reached down to Venus' hand.

The instant that their hands touched, a jarring blow plowed through Mars' spirit, knocking her flat on her face. Shaking his head, Jadeite walked towards the Senshi of Passion.

"L-leave her...alone!" Sailor Moon said, trying to yell through the pain and slowly fading paralysis.

Ignoring her, Jadeite moved past his four original victims to Sailor Mars. The raven-haired senshi slowly made her way to her feet. Jadeite was surprised that his attack had taken so much out of her: she looked drained, dizzy, uneasy on her feet. Oh well. It would make this part much easier. Once again, the icy spear manifested itself in Jadeite's hand. With a one-handed thrust, the Guru forced the weapon through Mars' abdomen.

Too shocked from the pain to scream, Mars looked down. Her fuku was intact. The painful spasms and her inability to draw breath completely contradicted the lack of visible damage, blood or otherwise. With a disappointed look, Jadeite raised the spear, lifting Sailor Mars off of the ground. "This brings me no joy. You are an exceptional woman, and it would have been a privilege to teach you the true ways of Kartikeya...and the will of the new goddess. But, as you said, you have chosen your path...and it ends here." He produced a frozen feather from his free hand. Placing the razor-sharp edge to Mars's forehead he gave his parting words: "May you continue your purification in your next life."

Jadeite prepped to drive the feather through Sailor Mars' head...but an orange-accented glove grabbed him by the wrist.

"You...are _done_...Jadeite!"

The Guru looked over at the now standing Sailor Venus. She was still pale and shaky, but she was strong enough (physically) to halt is finishing blow. While confused as to how she overcame his attack, he decided to not worry about it and simply put her back where she was. "I'm sorry," he said as he sent a powerful jolt of energy through Venus' hand...only to feel it come back to him through the spear. Lowering Mars back to the ground, Jadeite expressed his bewilderment: "What? How…?"

A strange sound caught Jadeite's attention. His head turned to the figure on the business end of his spear. Despite her ragged breathing and aching body, Sailor Mars was…laughing! Her once-paralyzed left hand now wrapped around the spear. "You've got a lot of power," she said, "but you burn through it really quickly. And…you have absolutely no awareness. Not to your surroundings, and not to any spirits. If you did, you'd have seen where my spiritual energy went...and how it got there." With a smart-alecky smile, Mars held up her hand. Jadeite gasped as he recognized the item in her hand: Venus' chain.

Jadeite shot an irritated look between the two senshi. "Very good strategy. But I still have enough power to finish my job!" The Guru sent a new wave of energy through the two warriors. Even though the attack was coming back to him, Jadeite didn't stop. "I can take it, guardians! Can you?" Despite his dwindling power, the attack was still effective. Venus and Mars could only hold on to their positions as they tried to fight off the waves passing through their bodies. But before they could succumb to the attack, the sensation lessened. " _No_!"

An angry honey-brown face appeared next to Venus'. "Yes!" Sailor Jupiter took a step forward. Jadeite could see her holding Venus' other hand.

"How... _how did you_ …?"

"It's a chain, dumbass," Mars jeered. "More than one person can touch it at a time."

Beginning to panic, Jadeite poured as much energy through his body as he could. But the amount coming back to him continued to lessen. Looking at Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, the Guru could barely tell that his attack was having any effect at all! And now, all of a sudden...he felt nothing! Horrified, he looked to his hand where the spear had just disintegrated, and saw a new hand grabbing his wrist. Following the hand, his gaze led him to the face of Sailor Mercury.

Fully consumed by dread, Jadeite tried to break free from the grasp of Venus and Mercury, but he just wasn't very strong. The girls held him in place easily. A rustling sound behind him sent him into hyperventilation. "No, no...please...I cannot fail my queen!" He craned his neck to look behind him. His heart leapt to his throat as he watched Sailor Moon slowly walk towards the group, Moon Stick in hand. She made her way to Mars' side and the girls interlocked hands, completing the full circle. The Moon Stick now rested within the grasp shared by both Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars.

Mars closed her eyes and let her abilities flow through her teammates. The others could all sense it now too: there was a powerful evil deep in Jadeite's spirit. But…it wasn't natural. It wasn't _his_. The spirit of the true young man was tangled deeply within this web; a bright light obscured by a relentless darkness. Mars opened her eyes and looked around the circle. The knowing looks that she received back from the other senshi confirmed her feelings. She looked into Sailor Moon's eyes and gently squeezed her hand. The Champion of Justice replied with a tiny smile and a single nod.

Sailor Moon concentrated on both of the entities that she could sense within Jadeite. As she did so, the Moon Stick began to glow. But…there was something different this time. It wasn't just her energy that she could feel. It was also Venus…and Jupiter…and Mercury…all being bound together by the fiery ribbon of Mars' spirit! The Moon Stick's shine became even brighter…and suddenly the head was engulfed in flames! As the words came to Sailor Moon's mouth, the others were compelled to follow suit. Trembling, Jadeite could only stand in surrender as the words rained down on him:

"MOON HEALING ESCALATION!"

A surge of power exploded from the Moon Stick, passing through all of the senshi, and finally reaching Jadeite. The instant that the rush took over his body, the Guru let out a horrifying scream. His body jerked and convulsed, though he was able to maintain a standing position. As he reeled from the pain, the senshi could sense the hold on him breaking. The light was coming free as the darkness was dispelled. However, one last thread refused to let go. Sailor Mars discharged everything that she could, targeting the last tentacle of this entity. With the snap of the final fiber, a violent shock passed through each member of the circle. For an instant a frightening image appeared in their minds: a laughing face, made of unearthly flame, rushing at them…

Gasping and bolting upright, Mars looked around. Everyone had been knocked to the ground by that final vision, but it looked like the other warriors were all starting to stir.

"What the hell was _that_?" Jupiter asked.

"I don't like to consider the implications," Mercury answered, "but that was probably the 'new goddess' that he was talking about."

Sailor Moon finally sat up, Moon Stick in her lap. "Okay, Wika, next time give us a warning when something like that is about to happen." Sailor Mars stood up and walked across the circle without acknowledging Sailor Moon. "Umm…Wika?" The other senshi watched as Mars walked over and knelt besides the recovering Jadeite. As he shook his head to clear the cobwebs, his eyes met those of Mars.

"I'm sorry…" Mars was taken aback as tears began to fill his eyes. "I've…I've committed evil…so much evil! I've misled Kartikeya's followers…I've shamed his name!" He jumped to his feet and surveyed the other women. He pressed his hands together and brought his forehead down to them. "I beg for your forgiveness! I've been…I've been…"

"You haven't been in control," Mars said in a soothing tone. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Something had you. You were along for the ride. It wasn't your fault." He turned his misty gaze to Mars again. As their eyes met, Mars felt it again…that connection. Where did…?

"Beauty…"

"Wh…wha…?"

Jadeite turned to face Mars and took her by both hands. He looked deep into her eyes. "In the face of beauty…evil was lost. _You_ are my salvation today! A gift from above!" Instead of a sarcastic comment, Mars' response was stammering and blushing. Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury stood dumbfounded. A goofy grin spread across Sailor Moon's face.

Before anyone could say anything else, sirens in the distance became audible.

"Ladies! It's time for you to go!" Luna implored over the comms.

Mars turned back to Jadeite. "Ar…are you gonna be ok?"

Jadeite nodded. "I have much to atone for. Even if I was not in control, it's my face that people know." He sighed…and smiled. "But I still have faith that my pure desires will win out. You and your guardians have helped to restore that hope to me." He pressed his hands together and bowed. "Thank you."

The sirens grew louder, and were now accompanied by frantic voices. "Let's go! Let's go!" Venus commanded.

Mars looked back to Jadeite. "…good luck!" She turned back and ran with the rest of the senshi, leaving the grounds as the authorities arrived.

* * *

Artemis pounded on the big red button. The lights on the empty pad began to flicker, and with a flash, the senshi reappeared in the command center. As the girls got to their feet and detransformed, Artemis and Luna bounded out of the control room. "E.B.! You all scared the heck out of us!" Artemis exclaimed while jumping into Etoiledor's arms. "What happened out there?"

"Wika saved our asses," Madi said. "None of us had any idea what we were up against."

"Absolutely," Galing agreed. "She was outstanding."

"And…" Usagi added with her silly face, "…I think that Wika found a new boyfriend!"

Wika turned to Usagi and mouthed a very unladylike threat.

Luna, nestled in Usagi's arms looked up at her. "You really did have me worried! You have to be more careful out there!"

"Yeah, it was scary," Usagi said, stroking Luna's head. "If I'd had to face that guy when I first started, I'd be toast. But now…" she looked around the room, "I'm sure that we all came together as a team for a reason. We each have something special. I have a feeling that each one of us is going to have a big part to play with all of this craziness!"

Luna sighed. "You're right. And this was just the start." She raised her voice to the entire team. "It was rough, but in the end…excellent job! I hope that you can fully see how important teamwork is now. Even though today leaned very heavily on Wika's strength, the final victory was only possible because of your unity!"

"We've dealt the Dark Kingdom a serious blow," Artemis continued, "but don't expect them to go down without a fight. We've still got two targets to investigate! I hope you're all ready for the next time!"

The girls sat solemn for a moment. Then Etoiledor nodded. "We will be."

All of a sudden, Usagi let out a loud, long groan. "What's wrong?" Etoiledor asked.

Usagi's face was scrunched up in disappointment. "We didn't even get to try any food!"

* * *

"…and I have never felt pain like that before! But, like I said, I am so glad that Wika was there. She was definitely the hero!"

On the other end of the phone, Olugbeja responded: "Sounds like it was a rough time. I'm glad to hear that you got out safely. How did you manage such a quick getaway?"

"Once we took him down, we heard sirens and we left." She paused. "I wonder how they got there so quickly?"

Olugbeja chuckled. "Funny. Things always seem to work out for you."

Usagi collapsed onto her bed. "I wish that you could have been there! Your skills would've been a really big help!"

"Oh, I'm sure that the five of you can handle things. Especially with Sailor V in your midst now. You're big girls!"

Usagi giggled. "Still…it would've been great to have you there…I haven't seen that beautiful tuxedo in a long time…"

"Listen," the Nigerian began, "we'll have our time together again. As long as your feet are touching the earth…I'll be able to find you."

Usagi silently swooned. How did this guy always know the exact romantic thing to say?

A soft click caught her attention. "I'm sorry, Usagi, this is the office calling. We'll talk later. You get some rest."

"I'm not more important than work?" Olugbeja didn't respond. "Oh, all right. See you later!"

Olugbeja clicked over to the other line and identified himself in his native tongue.

"Mr. Aiye! Excellent work!"

Olugbeja laughed at the exuberance of his peer. "I just gave you the tip. You're actually in India. You did the work, ma'am"

"But…but how did you know there was trouble at the Jade House?"

"I…just had my ear to the right source." Olugbeja reached for an object on his desk. "Sometimes you just get lucky."

The young lady on the other end laughed. "Whatever! You can tell the real story when you get here tomorrow."

"I'm catching the overnight," he responded, twirling the object around his fingers. "I'll be there in the morning."

"Is there anything that I can get prepared for you?"

Olugbeja took a good look at the object in his hand: one of his lucky stones, a bright green chunk of jadeite.

"No. I have everything that I need."

* * *

"'Here's another nice mess that you've gotten me into…'" Zoisite muttered to the absent Jadeite. His head hanging low, staring at the stone floor, he stood before his irate queen. Beryl was incensed at the loss of her spiritual powerhouse and had verbally taken out her frustrations on her de facto team leader (with the threat of physical repercussions made very clear). Even Nephrite, who got a little kick out of Zoisite's shortcomings, was uncomfortable with the level of her anger.

"Tokyo has figured out the little trick with those pathetic trinkets! And they did it without the help of the guardians! All of your genius planning amounted to _nothing_! _WHAT_ …do you plan to do now?"

Zoisite took a couple of breaths. "I still have plans in motion, my queen. We can still gather energy…"

"And what about _Jadeite_?! His power is integral to our goals! I need him back!"

"I…I still have a way…"

" _WHAT IS IT_?!"

"My queen," Nephrite interrupted, "Zoisite and I disagree on a lot, but we never disagree on taking care of our family first. We will get him back. In the meantime, we both have ways to gather energy. With your permission, I will greatly expand my current strategy and make up for the difference until we can return with Jadeite." The Russian looked over to Zoisite and gave a quick nod.

Beryl cast an evil look from Nephrite to Zoisite. "I suggest that you two figure this out!" She dejectedly slumped into her throne. "Nephrite, do what you want. But do _NOT_ fail."

Nephrite saluted and nodded emphatically. Zoisite did the same, only with less vigor.

A loud buzzing caught everyone's attention. Zoisite reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "What is _that_?" Beryl asked venomously.

"An alarm that I set up at the Jade House. Someone's meeting with the kid."

"Who?" Nephrite demanded.

Zoisite tapped a command onto his smartwatch. A panel slid open on the floor and a large monitor emerged directly in front of the throne. With another command, the video on his phone now played with HD clarity on the monitor. The trio saw Jadeite speaking with someone in his office. The guest was well-dressed, dark-skinned, and perfectly coiffed. As the stranger turned his face towards the hidden camera, Zoisite paused the video. The remaining members of the Dark Kingdom studied this new person.

"Who is this guy?" Nephrite asked.

"He looks really…really…familiar." Zoisite said. He and Nephrite turned back to Beryl. "My queen, have you-?" Amazement halted his speech. Nephrite's mouth was agape. They couldn't believe what they were seeing: Beryl was entranced by what she was seeing on the screen, and on her face was something that neither of them had ever seen…

An open, genuine, and heartfelt smile.

* * *

Priviet! _It's me, the world's top athlete, Nephrite! Everyone wants to be healthier, right? So why not give people more of what they want? We just ask for a little of their energy in return. But, of course, these bothersome guardians want to come and interfere with our plans. If they dare enter my Crematory, I'll put them through the workout of their life! I don't believe that any of them would survive…well, maybe the tall one. She…she has potential. What will happen? Come and find out next time with " **Gonna Make You Sweat**." Do svidaniya…_

* * *

[Go to **YouTube** and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon** " for access to **Etoiledor's Playlist**! Did you catch the lyrical allusion from this chapter's title?]


	27. Act XI: Gonna Make You Sweat - Part 1

_**REAL-LIFE INTRUSION:**_ Earning a PhD is hard! I'm at the end of a tough semester. However...I might just be able to play a little catch-up in the next couple of months. No promises, but we'll see!

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

NAMES: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wicapiwakan/Wika::Rei; Madeira/Madi::Makoto; Etoiledor/E.B.::Minako) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act XI: Gonna Make You Sweat**

 _Everyone knows that good exercise is great for your health! But leave it to the Dark Kingdom to try and ruin that too! An addictive fitness class just to capture more energy? Unforgivable! This time we're off to Russia to stop Nefrit Kamen at his own gym...and it looks like he's got some extra interest in Madi! We're back to punish evil! And this time, it'll be a workout!_

 **Part 1: Nefrit Kamen (нефрит камень)**

Clad in a comfortable white tracksuit, the young man walked into the front door and through the large lobby area. The sparkling interior was adorned with decorations: mainly the company logo - a flaming astroid rendered in precious stones of green, purple, red, brown, and black — and artistic renderings of himself in various forms of athletic activity. As he greeted the workers behind the counter the faces of the patrons lit up at the sight of the international celebrity. He tossed his long brown hair and flashed a toothy smile. He loved to see that even after all of this time more people were still signing up to join. Eventually, he'd have the only gym still standing in Khabarovsk. He walked back into the bustling administrative offices. The phone lines were packed with people coordinating their remote exercise program. Bypassing them, his eyes fell to a quiet corner manned by a solitary secretary. He flashed a hopeful thumbs-up in her direction. She returned a sad shake of her head.

Dejected, but accustomed to the response, he walked out into the back hallway. Three rooms on either side featured individuals jumping, stepping, and gyrating in front of cameras as music played under their shouted commands. A small smile returned to his face.

At the end of the hall, he placed his hand on a panel. The laser scan caused the false wall to slide to the side, revealing an elevator. The young man entered and rode up to the second floor. When the door opened, he walked into a long office. The sides featured floor-to-ceiling one-way mirrored glass, allowing him to see both the first floor lobby and the gym on the current level. The far side of the office featured a large television monitor, various trophies and awards, and a frequently used hot-tub.

"Secure channel." After the words were spoken, acoustic panels hidden in the walls, floor, and ceiling activated. The monitor at the end of the room turned on as the man took off his jacket and shirt, stretching his chiseled physique.

A familiar face appeared on the monitor and immediately rolled their eyes. "Really, Nefrit?"

"Bask in it, Z," Nefrit said while posing with a smile. "This sight will give you pleasant dreams tonight!"

Zoisite rubbed his temples. "Anyway...good job with the immediate implementation of the classes in Asia."

Nefrit nodded. "Thanks for adding in the endorphin rush. Incentivising gyms to carry more classes is one thing, but to get the people coming back is what makes it work."

"Well, it's not quite hormonal, but it works on a spiritual level in a similar way." Zoisite sighed. "You can thank the kid for that."

"We'll get him back," Nefrit said with confidence. "As the queen said, we'll stay away for now. But it won't be long."

"Since we're talking about that, are you ready if they show up looking for you?"

The athlete laughed heartily. "It's going to take more than five lovely ladies to take me down."

"Yeah, well, pay attention anyway," Zoisite answered. "Keep a close eye on who comes in and keep me informed."

"I'm definitely keeping my eyes open," Nefrit replied as two well proportioned women walked by the office window. "And right now I think that my jacuzzi needs some company."

Zoisite rolled his eyes again. "You are such a-"

"End transmission." The monitor clicked off and the room returned to its original state. Nefrit went over to the shelf to get some oil. While rubbing it over his pecs and abs, he did think about Zoisite's warning and Jadeite's fate. It had been just a little over a week since the youth was forcefully taken out of the Dark Kingdom's employ. And he wasn't the type of man to take that lightly. Truth be told, he wouldn't mind if they came for him. He'd relish the chance to take on that entire group face-to-face for a little payback.

"Guardians," he growled, "you have no match for me!"

* * *

"It _is_ depressing, isn't it?"

Usagi snapped to attention. "What?"

"The rain." Naru turned her gaze to the cascades flowing down the window pane. "This time of year, it's like it never stops."

Usagi responded with a sigh. "Yeah, I know what you mean." She returned to looking out of the window. As the umbrellas of Roppongi's nighttime patrons passed by, her mind wandered back to her most recent adventures: the paralysis and pain, the recovery at Wika's hand, the cleansing of Jadeite, the knowledge that another challenge was soon to come. Naru was right: it never stops. Although, just then, an equally powerful thought crossed her mind: "But it's easier to tolerate when you have good friends!"

Naru looked over at her best friend and smiled. "Good friends willing to stay out until 11pm on a work night. You owe me for keeping me out this late!"

Usagi returned a grateful look. "I owe you for not spending more time with you!"

Yawning and stretching on cue, Naru responded: "It's ok. I'll just be a little tired at the gym in the morning."

"Well, you have that aerobics class to wake you up, right?"

Naru shook her head. "I had to stop going to that class. I don't know if it's the pounding music, the difficult dance moves, or if it's just too early for me, but I always start feeling sick when I'm in there."

Usagi immediately became concerned. "Sick how?"

Naru shuddered. "Nausea. Dizziness. Sweating even before the moves get complicated. Just a really uncomfortable, uneasy feeling." She scoffed. "But I'm definitely the minority. Seems like everyone else in the class can't stay away. Some even go to the evening class too."

The thought of something making Naru nauseous and dizzy filled Usagi with dread. For some reason Naru seemed to be a bellwether for the Dark Kingdom's schemes. If she was showing the familiar symptoms, it was definitely time to investigate. However, that could wait until the morning.

"So, you ready for dessert number three?"

Naru laughed.

* * *

Morning brought a little break in the rain, which allowed Galing to take Luna out on a quick excursion around her neighborhood. Luna suffered quite a sleepless week knowing how close the girls had come to complete disaster, and she was not anxious to put the team in the same type of position. Therefore, the two of them had been working late nights analyzing everything that they could from the team's encounter with Jadeite. After another overnight session, this nice morning walk was a suitable palate cleanser.

Galing lovingly rubbed Luna's neck and head as they passed the small gym near Galing's apartment. The booming audio was muted due to the closed doors, but there was still enough reverberation to shake the windows. "Ugh. This class. For one hour a day, this place gets so loud." She peered inside as she walked past. "But...I've never seen so many people here before!" Through the window, it looked like people were spilling out of the exercise room and into the general area. Their dance moves were occasionally getting in the way of people moving between the exercise equipment. "How do they…" Galing trailed off as she felt something strange with Luna. She looked down to see the cat's fur wildly flared in all directions. Quickly, Galing ran away from the gym and darted down a small alley. Once she saw that they were clear, she spoke: "What? What is it?"

Luna shook herself. "That gym had evil energy all over it! It was just like…"

"Redline," Galing finished. "You reacted the same way with the Redline wrist monitor."

"Something is up with this gym," Luna concluded. "Let's get together with the others tonight. Unfortunately, your break might be short-lived!"

* * *

"So...it's not the gym? It's the class?"

"That's what it looks like," Madi confirmed as she passed around homemade brigadeiro cupcakes. "In my neighborhood I'm having parents literally drop their kids off at the door so that they can run to the class across the street."

"Volleyball at the community center has been temporarily postponed," Etoiledor added. "They're using the gym to handle the huge crowds."

"And there's no instructor, you say?" Galing asked.

"No in-person instructor," Madi clarified. "It's like those cycling classes where the instructor is in a studio somewhere. The gym connects over the internet to a live teacher."

Luna shook her head. She was very sure of where this was going, but she wanted to be absolutely certain. She looked over to the control panel. "Artemis, do you have anything for us?"

"Nothing recent," he replied, "but I did find a month-old article that's relevant. The class is called "Surimu ni naruho" in Japan, but it operates under other names around the world. It's called 'Slim City' in the USA."

Usagi, two cupcakes deep, chimed in: "Umino and the Negaverse strike again!"

"Actually, no," Artemis corrected. "This was from a health blog in a local paper. Looks like the Dark Kingdom snuck this under everyone's nose!" Artemis hit a few keys, bringing up some more data. "As expected Luna, everything leads back to one place. Shipping, advertising, even the studio where the teachers do their classes: Never Right Fitness!"

Madi began to feel a bit queasy. "This class we've been talking about...it's called 'Shapely' in Brazil...isn't it?"

Artemis typed in some commands. "Yeah! It is?" He gave her a quizzical look. "How did you know?"

"I've seen it before...when the workouts were on DVD back home."

Luna nodded. "I remember you telling us that." She added a sigh. "Looks like we'll need to bring everyone in and start planning."

Etoiledor looked around. "Speaking of that, where is Wika?"

"She said that her spirit has been uneasy since India," Galing answered. "She's been spending a lot of time in solitude and meditation."

"Yeah right...I bet she's been talking to Jet the whole time!" Usagi mischievously whispered to Madi.

"Artemis," Galing began, "I think that this conversation confirms the connection that we made last night."

"Absolutely! Redline, the Crystal Disks; the methodology of energy collection is all the same. In fact, these types of plans go all the way back to what Interpol was-"

"Artemis, let's stick to what's going on right now." The abruptness at which Etoliedor cut off Artemis' speech shocked everyone. An awkward pause persisted for a moment.

Madi broke the silence: "So...is there a way to, I don't know...cut everyone's internet access?"

"That would mean finding every gym that teaches the class, find out the times that they teach it, and figuring out a way to disable their internet only for that hour," Galing said. "I don't think that's very practical."

Usagi's face sunk into her palms with a groan. "Luna...is there…"

"No."

Madi couldn't help but laugh. "You two know each other very well!"

Galing returned to the matter at hand. "We've dealt with Redline and this is similar, but there's no way that the Dark Kingdom would keep local data or a data relay in Tokyo after we stopped them last time."

Artemis bounded down from the chair and over to the group. He approached them with a big smile. "Well, that settles it! Time to go after our next target: Nefrit Kamen and Never Right Fitness! We'll meet here tomorrow for a full briefing."

"And we will be _much_ , much more careful both with our preparations..." she shot a menacing look towards Usagi, "... _AND_ with the security of our plans!"

Usagi looked sheepish. "Hey! He didn't figure it out...completely...I...I don't think…"

"That was just an accident!" Madi said, coming to Usagi's defense. "It's not like she gave him a full blow-by-blow recap of the mission!" She turned to Usagi. "Right?" Usagi grimaced.

Before an incensed Luna could start, Artemis jumped in. "Usagi, I know that Mr. Aiye has been on our side thus far. But we can't inform him about our missions. Especially as we're using the teleporter to travel. The fewer people that know, the better." He winked. "I'm sure that there will still be plenty for Sailor Moon to do in Tokyo! He'll be around for that!"

Luna let out a controlled exhale. "Usagi...can I trust you to keep this to yourself?"

Usagi took a deep breath, stood up, and clenched her fists. "I can do it! I will NOT tell Olugbeja about our upcoming mission!"

* * *

"So, where are you and the crew going this weekend?"

Usagi nearly choked on her hors d'oeuvres. "W-what? I did-didn't...I mean...how?"

Smiling, Olugbeja walked away from the art exhibit and over to the refreshment table. He returned with a napkin and handed it to her. "You very conspicuously haven't said a word about your weekend plans. Normally that's one of the first things that you mention. To go two hours without saying something makes it obvious."

Usagi wiped the crumbs away. She absolutely loved that fact that he was so attentive and in tune with her habits and feelings that he could pick up on her omission...but did he have to be that good right _now?!_ "Look...it's not that I don't want to tell you everything...but-"

"But Luna wasn't happy with you, right?"

"Okay, it's really freaky when you finish my sentences!"

Olugbeja took her hand and caressed it. "My goal is most certainly not to get you in trouble with your team. Just let me know when you get back so that I know you're safe." Usagi, ready to melt from the sensation, nodded. The playful smirk returned to his face. "Besides, I have some vacation time to use. You can let me know some good places to visit."

Usagi returned her own playful look. "Well, you seem to know everything that I do anyway!"

Olugbeja turned his vision back to the artwork. "Actually...I just guessed that you had a mission this weekend. I didn't know for sure until you told me!"

* * *

"All right team! The mission is simple: infiltrate, subdue, and escape. No woman left behind! This is dangerous, and you're all good soldiers for being here. But good alone won't win the day! Stick together and pull each other through. For the glory of the moon! Who's with me?"

Only half of those present were amused at the white cat's war general impression. "Can we please get to the relevant information?" Wika asked acerbically.

Artemis scoffed. "Last time I try to inspire _you!_ " He returned to the control panel and pulled up some familiar pictures. "So, for those of you who don't know, Nefrit Kamen is one of Russia's most famous athletes. He could've made olympic teams in sprinting, distance running, lifting, and the decathlon, but his blood tests always came back abnormal, so he was never allowed to compete. The insinuation that he was a cheater infuriated him. He was known to have a legendary training regimen: intense exercise, strict diet, even his sleep schedule was regulated!"

"Didn't he try to get into the Olympics through another country?" Etoiledor asked.

"Yeah," Artemis answered. "He called himself 'Maxfield Stanton' and tried to compete under Albania's flag. That riled a lot of athletes. In fact, there was a female sprinter from Haiti who challenged him to a 'do-or-die' race."

Usagi furrowed her brow. "'Do-or-die?'"

"Loser retires from all competition," Artemis clarified. "Anyway, his fortunes turned three-and-a-half years ago when he opened Never Right Fitness. Almost immediately he began making workout videos, sending most of them to South America. Since then, he's gained massive popularity and tons of endorsements."

"All of that money allowed him to massively expand his gym," Luna said, taking over the narration. "Along with the regular gym and business offices, he's got a specialized training space for hard-core Olympic-level workouts called 'The Crematory.'"

"And that's our way in! He personally runs the workouts in the Crematory, which would give us a chance to keep him busy and investigate. But in order to get into the special workout program, you have to have a special invitation or send in an application." He shot Galing an innocent look. "Perhaps we could 'create' an athlete to apply for the program?"

Galing winced. "Is there really no other way?"

"If there was, we'd be following that plan," Luna answered. "Unfortunately, they give out special invites very rarely. The only other way would be to gain access through an Olympian."

Madi perked up. "An Olympian?"

"Yeah. All Olympic athletes have a standing invitation for themselves and two guests." Artemis sighed loudly. "E.B., why couldn't you get past the select team?!"

" _Excusez-moi_ for only being the thirtieth-best volleyball player in France," Etoiledor retorted.

"Anyway," Luna continued, "since we don't have access to an Olympian, we have to figure out a way to get inside."

"Umm...I went to the Olympics."

Everyone in the room turned to the towering martial artist. She shrugged. "They were in Rio not too long ago and I got on the Taekwondo team as an alternate."

Wika snickered towards the cats. "All of the research that you two do and you missed _that_?"

Artemis did look embarrassed. "Note to self: investigate the girls as diligently as our enemies!"

Luna smiled at Madi. "Happy to hear that! We'll get you to fill out the application. And I think that it would be best if Wika and Galing were the two that went in with you. Etoiledor and Usagi, you can use your transformation brooches to sneak around the building.

Usagi's head whipped towards Etoiledor. "Wait! You can make disguises too?" The Parisian nodded in response. "Cool!" Usagi replied. "We can have a contest: who can come up with the cutest outfit?"

Etoiledor smiled. "Before we do that, tell me: can you hold your illusion while you're asleep? Because that's an essential skill."

Usagi's mouth dropped as Luna continued. "Ladies, we'll treat this the same as last time: show up here on Saturday for a final briefing, prepare to teleport, and our mission will be underway!" She paused. "The last time was very dangerous. We - and I mean all seven of us! - have to be much more careful! Stealth and investigation are integral to our success! If we're careful, I know that we'll succeed!"

The girls nodded and prepared for their next tasks.

Artemis sucked his teeth. "Oh, sure, you like _that_ speech!"

* * *

With a flash of light, the quintet of heroines suddenly appeared, huddled in a shielded grove, surrounded by headstones.

"What is it about these teleportation locations and graveyards?" Usagi asked.

"These places tend to be undisturbed," Etoiledor answered, wrenching her hand from Usagi's iron grip.

Galing checked the map on her phone. "Pheta, Madi, and I need to walk to Karl Marx St and catch an Uber to the airport for our pickup. Usagi and Etoiledor, you two can head over to the gym."

"Sounds like a plan, ladies," Artemis came over the comms. "Good luck!"

The two groups walked out to the busy street and waited for their rides. Usagi and Etoiledor's transportation came first, taking them southeastward, towards downtown. The remaining trio caught their car to the airport. As they were dropped off, they walked into the arrivals lobby. It didn't take long for them to see their ride: two young ladies wearing green and yellow spandex were waving Brazilian flags while dancing around to samba music. The flashily dressed driver was holding a sign with Madi's name in LED lights.

"W...wow," Wika stammered.

"Apparently they like to roll out the red carpet," Galing added.

Madi took a deep breath and shouldered her bag. "Okay, miss 'sports reporter' and miss 'sports medicine student.' Let's get going!" The three of them walked over to the welcome wagon and were directed to the limo. The ride was mostly silent as all strategy had already been discussed. At this point the young ladies were just anxious to get their mission underway. Upon reaching their destination overlooking the Amur River, the ladies stepped out and admired the decorative exterior.

"Did I.M. Pei design this place?" Galing asked.

Slowly, they walked up to the front door. When they were about two meters away, the doors swung open violently. The trio collectively gasped as the man himself, Nefrit Kamen, walked up to them. He got right in Madi's face (though he was about two centimeters shorter than her) and spoke in a threatening manner:

"You will regret coming here."

Instinctively, Wika and Galing reached for their transformation pins. Seeing the two of them move in their own menacing fashion, Nefrit put both of his hands up in front of him and took a few steps back. "That was meant to be in jest. Did you...bring weapons here?"

"We...uh…"

"A woman always needs to stay safe," Wika jumped in for the stammering Galing. "Mace always at the ready."

Nefrit chuckled. "Forgive me...I didn't mean to cause any misunderstanding. Only trying to have some fun." He reached out and took Madi's hand. Shaking it, he welcomed her: "Thank you for coming, Miss Força. I promise that this visit will be worth your time!" He gave her a strange look as he didn't receive a response. Turning to the door he beckoned the trio. "Please follow me. I'll show you to the women's locker room." He reached up and tapped a simplified version of the company logo just above the door. "Touch the astroid for luck...you'll need it!"

As the three of them followed, Galing whispered to Madi. "Are you alright?"

"This isn't another old boyfriend, is it?" Wika asked.

Madi softly shook her head. "No. It's...it's something else."

* * *

"How are you so good at this?"

Etoiledor, disguised as one of the afternoon guest instructors, smiled at Usagi's question. "Research and preparation. I know who's showing up today, I know what time their class is, and I can make an educated guess about how early they show up for their shift."

Usagi, covered in the illusion of an assistant instructor - one with a very cute outfit - nodded with respect. The two of them entered the broadcast room reserved for the impersonated instructor. It appeared that the only thing in the room was the performance platform and the A/V equipment needed for the class. Etoiledor began to thoroughly examine the area. "What are you looking for?" Usagi asked.

"I'm pretty sure that there's a kill switch for the broadcast in this room. There may be a clue as to whether there's a way to shut down all of the feeds simultaneously." Etoiledor focused in on some wires attached to a modem. She turned to Usagi. "Can you hold this back so that…" Etoiledor trailed off as she saw that Usagi had a strange look on her face. "What's wrong? You're not getting tired from your illusion already, are you?"

"N-no...it's not that." Usagi held her head. "I just got this really...subtle...feeling. Like...warmth…"

* * *

In the woods, west of Ome, Olugbeja placed his hand on the ground. He was able to get a clearer read when in contact with pure earth as opposed to the concrete of the city. The growth of this power made him uncomfortable...but it definitely had its perks!

It had started off as a type of ESP, always linking him to Usagi (especially when she was in Sailor Moon mode). He could sense her position easily, even while just walking around Tokyo. But lately? The feeling was very, very strong; deeper than a vague perception. He could virtually see what was going on with those whom he targeted. This "vision" enabled him to know exactly where Usagi's team was in India, and even that they were in danger.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could sense Usagi...to the north...and west...Russia...on a river...the city of Khabarovsk...inside a building...a gym! And...something about her appearance was...weird.

From his pocket he produced his lucky nephrite stone. If this went as anticipated, he would feel an energy similar to when he placed his jadeite on the ground. Once he made contact, there was no doubt: the man that Usagi's team was going to confront was, like Jet Vattam, a link to his past! He'd have to immediately arrange a trip to Khabarovsk (without stirring up suspicion, of course).

Olugbeja dug back into his pocket. He placed his piece of kunzite to the ground. Unfortunately, this vision was fuzzy. He couldn't get a read on it. Switching to the zoisite, he did get a clear feeling: Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He smiled. It was about time for his vacation. What better place to go and visit?

As he stood up and prepared to walk back to the Mitake metro stop, Usagi once again crossed his mind. "Whatever you're doing...be careful."

* * *

"C'mon! I always thought that big girls don't cry. Is the bag too tough for your dainty fingers?"

An exhausted Madi was struggling to land any solid blows onto the punching bag. By now, she was worn out and frustrated. She was a fighter, not an endurance athlete. She (and a few other people who had signed up for the Crematory) had gone non-stop from running to swimming in the lap pool to lifting to biking on the indoor track for the last three hours. She didn't even what to think about the rowing machines, gymnastics equipment, or the maze along the elevated catwalks with the trampoline below it.

"I have a _babushka_ who hits harder than that! Pathetic!" Nefrit shouted. Annoyance building, Madi gritted her teeth and increased her punching power. Nefrit smirked. "I guess there's a reason why you were only an alternate, eh?" Madi growled under her breath. "I mean, if this is the best that you can do, I bet even I could kick your ass!" A savage straight right took Madi's fist through the heavy bag, causing the other participants to stop. From a distance, Galing and Wika perked up, unsure of what to anticipate next. With sand pouring out of the bag, Madi approached Nefrit. Standing nose-to-nose she offered a question: "Why don't we test your theory?"

For a few tense moments, the pair stood there, unflinching while all eyes were on them. Suddenly, Nefrit turned to the other participants. "Break time! Get some food and water, remember to stretch and stay loose. See you back here in one hour!" As the others began to move, he turned back to a still seething Madi. "Come with me, please." He began to walk towards the far wall of the training space. Madi carefully began walking behind him. She shot a concerned look over to Wika and Galing. Wika tapped her ear and gave a quick nod.

Arriving at the wall, he placed his hand on a panel and the elevator door opened. They both stepped in and rode down one floor to his office. He stepped out and took a seat behind his desk. Madi wandered around a bit, looking at the decor. As she approached the hot tub, Nefrit chuckled. "Feel free to take a dip." The former bikini-body champion flipped him the bird. He chuckled again. "You know why I made you mad, right?"

"Please enlighten me."

"The angrier you get, the harder you work. I simply wanted to see you at your best." He leaned back and stretched. "For someone not used to these types of lengthy exercises, you're doing a hell of a job."

Madi folded her arms, but nodded her head. "Thank you. But you do have a strange way of motivating."

"Oh, of course I have to tease you! Make you think that you're entering Hell. It's part of the experience!" He leaned forward and his demeanor changed. "But the most important experience is yours: what you have accomplished, and what you plan to do with it."

Madi looked confused as Nefrit used a voice command to play a video. Madi gasped as she saw...herself! The video was a montage of some of her matches. A few clips from as far back as when she was 16! "How...how did you get these?!"

"All publicly available, I promise," Nefrit reassured her. "But I want you to look at yourself. Really look: your power, your grace, your ability to move seamlessly between different styles. You could start your own school of martial arts. All you need is the right connection."

As the video ended, Madi stared directly at the Never Right Fitness CEO. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about teaching the Força Style, with lessons and adherents all over the world. I have the good fortune to be connected to power and influence...and I can give it to you."

Madi - like the other senshi, as well as Artemis and Luna - was speechless...and intrigued. "And...how...would you...would I accomplish this?"

Nefrit smiled. "The one who gave me my breakthrough is always looking for more talent. Especially now. We're currently in...short supply."

Madi hesitated before asking: "Who is this person?"

Nefrit looked her dead in the eyes. "Her name is Beryl. But, she has so much influence...I just call her 'Queen.'"

"Queen...Beryl," Usagi's voice came softly over the comms. For a moment, the girls were all united in thought. That name was very, very familiar. But from where? They all got a vague, sinister feeling when it was uttered...

Mars gasped. "Jadeite's 'Queen!'"

"The witch," Galing added.

"Oh, no!" Luna exclaimed. "Madi, get out of there and find the others!"

"Wait," Artemis interrupted. "Don't panic. Let's see where he's going with this."

While the conversation was going on in her ear, something else was coming to Madi: something associated with 'Queen Beryl' and Nefrit Kamen. Something on the tip of her tongue. Her thinking caused her to stand rigid and unnaturally. This did not go unnoticed by Nefrit.

"Does...that ring a bell?"

"Neph...n-n-no. I...I just... _WOW!_ A queen?" She forced a short laugh. "Like real royalty?" Her eyes remained locked with Nefrit's. His stare made it clear that he wasn't buying her deflective question. Neither of them moved.

The beeping of the office phone caused Madi to jump. Nefrit looked at the caller ID. He rolled his eyes. "Sorry, but I have to take this. You can go through the main gym to get back upstairs." He flashed a toothy grin. "I'll see you soon!" Madi quickly made her way through the side door of the office and scurried towards the stairs. "Secure channel," he commanded. Once all necessary shielding was up, Zoisite appeared on screen. "What do you want, egghead?"

"Did you bother to check the facial recognition?" Zoisite asked scornfully.

"Of course. How else will I know who my next dinner date will be?"

Zoisite sighed. "'What we've got here is failure to communicate.'" Zoisite's tone changed from annoyed to dead serious. "The three women in your precious Crematory were together at the masquerade in Japan! They were unaccounted for in the list of registered guests, meaning that they're the _guardians_!"

Nefrit sighed. "Yeah, I sensed that from the one in my office." He laughed. "I guess that I'm good at this! I was picking on her in for a reason!"

"Just don't screw up! And remember...they came with one more to the party, and then Queen Beryl and the kid had to deal with five total. The other two are around there somewhere, guaranteed."

"I'll take-" Nefrit's response was cut short as the lights in his office flickered. He looked around. The lights in the main gym were off as well as the main lobby.

"What happened?"

"Not sure. But it was a smart move to make sure that the important things are on a seperate power supply." He stood up and began to stretch. "Don't worry, I've got it covered!"

* * *

"Usagi, what did you do?!"

"I don't know!" Usagi answered Etoiledor as they ran up the stairs. "I was looking at those switches and...I...guess I hit one of them?"

"That wouldn't have created all of those sparks!" Etoiledor rebutted. They finally made it to the top floor and entered the Crematory. Madi, Wika, and Galing were already there.

"I think that they're evacuating the building," Wika said.

"And whatever you did, the livestreams are down as well," Galing added.

"Forget about that!" Madi yelled. "We need to get ready! Nefrit is-"

Flashing strobes and colorful, swirling spotlights cut her off. The girls looked around in bewilderment. On the far wall, smoke began to pour in from the location of the hidden elevator. The spotlights coalesced into one bright white circle. A moment later, out of the smoke walked Nefrit Kamen; shirtless with compression shorts and a pair of sneakers..

"Lesson one, guardians: know how to make an entrance!" He turned his attention to Madi. "I knew that you were hiding something."

Madi scowled in return. "So were you... _Nephrite!_ "

Usagi furrowed her brow. "Ne...fr...ite…?"

Laughing, Nephrite grabbed two 25kg weights in each hand from a nearby weight rack. "For some reason I'm not surprised that you know that."

"Holy shit, he's strong!" Wika exclaimed. Admiration turned to amazement as he began to _toss the weights in the air and juggle them!_

"The strength is the easy part," he said. "The difficulty comes in honing those things that are not your natural gifts." He caught three of the weights in one arm and caught the remaining plate with his free hand, setting it on the ground. "Balance...agility...focus…" With a mighty roar, Nephrite took his free hand and smashed through the freeweights in one blow. The girls stood in shock as the pulverized pieces fell to the floor. "Pure physical ability is nothing without training." He quickly reached down for the remaining weight and launched it towards the senshi.

"Look ou…" Etoiledor trailed off as she saw that the trajectory of the projectile was over their heads. She turned to watch it land. "Why would h-" A stunning sight caused her to stop mid-sentence: Nephrite had thrown the weight to... _himself_!

Galing looked to the rubble, then back to Nephrite. "Impossible! You'd have to be moving at least 15 meters per second to do that!"

Nephrite brushed his long brown hair back. "I can thank my queen for many things: my name, my fortune," he looked at his hands, "and this amazing ability!" He turned an angry glare to the young ladies. "You took someone from my queen...and from me…so, prepare to suffer..." He suddenly took a few steps towards them and then launched himself 15 meters into the air. With his arms in double axe handle position and a look of revenge on his face, he shouted to the five women below him:

" _FOR THE GLORY OF THE DARK KINGDOM!_ "

* * *

 _Don't fall asleep! The Radiant Sailor Moon will be right back!_

[Go to **YouTube** and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon** " for access to **Etoiledor's Playlist**! Did you catch the lyrical allusion from this chapter's title? (It might be in the next part…)]


	28. Act XI: Gonna Make You Sweat - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Viz Media, Toei Animation. I'm just a fan.

NAMES: Every main character in this story has a parallel to the characters that you know and love (Olugbeja::Mamorou; Galing::Ami; Wicapiwakan/Wika::Rei; Madeira/Madi::Makoto; Etoiledor/E.B.::Minako) Look up their names in their native languages and you'll see the connection.

* * *

 **Act XI: Gonna Make You Sweat**

 _Wake up! We're back with more of The Radiant Sailor Moon!_

 **Part 2: Nephrite**

Interlaced into a single blunt weapon, Nephrite swung his fists down violently towards the ground. The five girls scattered in all directions as the fitness guru smashed the floor. As they leapt away, Usagi (unintentionally) and Etoiledor (intentionally) dropped their disguises. No coordinated command was necessary for their next action:

"Mercury power…"

"Mars power…"

"Jupiter power…"

"Venus power…"

"Moon Prism power…"

"MAKE… _UP_!"

Like five twinkling points of a star, the shimmering auras surrounded an admiring Nephrite. In an instant, he was surrounded by exactly who he wanted to see: the guardians. He cracked his knuckles. "Wonderful. So..who will approach me first?" His request was met with a strong jet of pool water. While impactful, he was able to keep his footing. "You'll have to do-" His taunt was cut short as his leg was yanked out from under him. Examining himself, he saw that a beaded chain wielded by Sailor Venus was the culprit. As he leaned forward to untangle himself, a fireball flew right in front of his face. Paused in that vulnerable position, he suddenly felt himself being put into a full-nelson hold. While he struggled, he saw Sailor Moon, Moon Stick in hand quickly approaching.

"Sailor Moon! Hurry up!" A straining Sailor Jupiter yelled. Venus held her chain tightly while Mercury continued to waterboard their captive. Mars also was approaching, holding a flaming ofuda. Though the attack had caught him off-guard, Nephrite wasn't very worried. Working against Sailor Jupiter, he brought his torso forward and got one foot solidly up under himself. With his balance reestablished, he pulled his other foot underneath, dragging Sailor Venus a few inches as she failed to hold him still. By this time Mars had reached him and was about to place her ofuda. With a loud roar, Nephrite leapt into the air, taking Jupiter, Mars, and Venus' chain with him. While hovering at the apex of his jump, Nephrite broke Jupiter's hold, grabbed Mars' face with both hands, and thrust it over his shoulder into Jupiter's forehead. He ended up landing on his feet. Mars and Jupiter crashed down on their backs.

He unwound the chain from his leg. "Ladies, it's clear that you have not trained properly. Your strength is lacking. Allow me to give you a real workout!" He smiled. "I'll make you sweat 'til you bleed!" With that, he took Venus' chain and violently pulled it in opposite directions…

...but it didn't pull apart. He tried to snap it over his knee. Nothing. Dumbfounded, he looked to Sailor Venus and nodded. "This is a high-quality instrument." He tossed it back to her and jetted over to the field equipment. Before the girls could reorganize, he began to hurl every object as his disposal at them: javelins, hammers, shots. The speed with which the objects came at the senshi caused them to dodge and flee in pure defense; exactly what Nephrite was counting on. With the guardians sufficiently scattered, he turned and ran towards the wall. The warriors looked in bewilderment as he then began to run _up the wall_!

"There's no way!" Sailor Mars uttered.

"Actually," Mercury said over the comms, "the wall has a slight grade to it. Plus, I gather that he's wearing special shoes to increase his traction."

"It's faster than taking the stairs!" Sailor Moon added.

At the top of the wall, he backflipped onto the awning of the catwalk maze. He quickly ran into the covered portion, his movements concealed.

"Sailor Jupiter, do you know what's up there?" Venus asked.

"As far as I know, it's a maze with workouts at each dead end," she replied. "The only ways out are to finish the maze, or take the leap onto the trampoline."

"That's 30 meters straight down!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "You'd have to be crazy to do-" A loud crash cut her off. Smashing out of the side of the catwalk was Nephrite. In his hands he held a barbell with heavy weights on the ends. As he descended, he threw the equipment on a perfect line, directly at Sailor Moon. Panicked with the projectile zooming at her, Sailor Moon dropped the Moon Stick and put her hands out in defense. As the weight made contact, her enhanced senshi strength allowed her to successfully corral it, but the impact knocked her off-balance, causing her to fall backwards with the bar on her chest.

Landing with a perfect roll, Nephrite immediately got back to his feet and sprinted over to Sailor Moon. Quickly and effortlessly, he flung more barbells down, parallel to the first, so that Sailor Moon's body was covered head-to-toe with barbells. While she could lift the one that she was holding, there was no way that Sailor Moon could lift her whole body at once and move the weights. Nephrite was even nice enough to place a pair of 50kg kettlebells at her head and her feet in case she tried to wiggle out via the small openings at either end.

"Umm...a little help?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Nephrite caught Sailor Venus running over. He took a flying leap at her, crushing the ground in front of her with a punch. Sailor Venus retreated a few meters. "Someone help Sailor Moo- AAAAAUUGH!" Her command was cut short as Nephrite took hold of the chain around her waist and began to speed along the walls with her in tow.

"I've got her!" Sailor Mercury ran towards Sailor Moon as Mars and Jupiter directed their fire and lightning towards the moving target. "Ok, Usagi, I'm going to lift the ones from your upper body first," she said as she reached the Champion of Justice.

"Can you hurry up? One of these is on my hair!"

While running, Nephrite took a glance over and saw Sailor Mercury about to free Sailor Moon. He promptly turned on a dime, heading directly towards Sailor Mars. Before she could react, he stopped his forward progress and used the momentum to fling Sailor Venus at her by the chain. Before the two senshi even hit the ground, and before Jupiter could manage an attack, Nephrite tore back towards the field equipment. Picking up a discus, he wheeled his body in perfect form, and flung the heavy object towards the kneeling Mercury.

"Sailor Mercury! Look out!"

Sailor Jupiter's warning caused Sailor Mercury to look over just in time to see the discus flying towards her. Quickly she tried to dodge it...but she wasn't quick enough: the discus made solid impact to the pinky-finger side of her forearm. She collapsed and screamed in pain, cradling her arm.

" _Galing!_ " Sailor Moon screamed. "Someone help her! Don't worry about me!"

By this time, Sailors Mars and Venus were back on their feet. Sailor Jupiter came over the comms: "I'll get her."

"No," Mars interjected. "You're our only chance at matching him with strength, and Venus is the most experienced. I'll go." Without hesitation, Sailor Mars sprinted across the wrecked gym, retrieved the injured Mercury, and carried her into the hallway. Nephrite did not interfere or pursue.

"Two incapacitated, one sidelined," he mused to Jupiter and Venus. "Looks like I have some extra time for you two!"

Jupiter walked over to Venus. "What do you think?"

Venus was looking daggers at Nephrite. "We have to keep him busy. At least until we know what's going on with Sailor Mercury. I don't think that he's going to get tired, but stalling is the best option right now." Jupiter gave a nod and the two of them ran towards Nephrite. Venus took a leap to get on the other side of him, while Jupiter arrived with a frontal assault.

Still smiling, Nephrite playfully flexed his pecs in Jupiter's direction. "Ok, let's see how those soft punches do against solid ro-" A straight punch to the solar plexus took the air out of the strongman, knocking him to one knee. Stunned, but alert, Nephrite felt Venus' chain wrap around his torso. As he got back to his feet, he saw the end of the chain being flipped to Sailor Jupiter. The Senshi of Courage used the chain to lift him into the air and smash him back to the ground. Nephrite sat up. "Ok, time to take this ser-" A crescent beam from Venus caught him between the eyes, knocking him back.

Sparing no time, Sailor Jupiter jumped immediately into an arm triangle choke. "Venus, GO! Get Usagi!" But before Sailor Venus could take a single step, Nephrite began to growl. Sailor Jupiter was familiar with arm triangle escapes, but this guy wasn't using any of them. He was simply using his strength to break the hold! The more she tried to hold him down, the further apart her arms were being pulled. Suddenly, she felt his foot on her stomach. With a swift push, Jupiter was sent flying backwards. An angry (and slightly embarrassed) Nephrite got back to his feet just as Venus came leaping at him. He tried to repel her with his arms, but ended up holding her in the air. From that position, Venus put her fingers directly in his face and charged her attack. Uninterested in taking that shot at point-blank range, Nephrite grabbed on to her uniform, and in one swift motion threw her towards the rowing machines.

In a spray of stars and unraveling orange ribbons, Sailor Venus disappeared, revealing Etoiledor Beauté. "What the-" Before she could even register what had just happened, the back of her head made violent contact with the metal post of the rowing machine. She fell to the ground, out cold. Stunned at what he had seen (including witnessing the chain around him dissipate), Nephrite opened his hand and looked: he was holding a decorative orange pin.

As quickly as he opened his hand, the pin was knocked out of it. He smiled as Sailor Jupiter stood before him once again. "You might hit a little harder than I thought, but still not good enough." He leaned in. "But my offer still stands. Come with me and let Queen Beryl give you power that you've never dreamed of. You and I, together, we could set this world on fire!" He dismissively gestured towards the downed Etoiledor. "Leave these losers behind."

"Hey! Who are you calling losers, musclehead?!" Sailor Moon yelled from her iron prison.

Nephrite nodded in Sailor Moon's direction. "Exhibit A."

"Damn right she's 'Exhibit A'," Sailor Jupiter retorted. "She's everything that's right about this uniform!"

Nephrite looked her up and down. "Sexy, I will admit...but...very impractical."

Jupiter ignored the quip. "Fighting for love. Fighting for the powerless. Defending the good in the world. That's what we're here for!" She assumed a Taekwondo fighting stance. "Whatever evil 'gifts' your queen gave to you, I'll be happy to beat 'em out of you!"

* * *

Sailor Mars was gingerly holding Sailor Mercury's injured arm. The Senshi of Intelligence had her visor and supercomputer activated. "What is it?" Mars asked.

Wincing with pain, Mercury answered: "It looks like a clean fracture of the ulna." She swallowed hard. "I'm going to need your help. I need to set the bone while transformed to speed up healing as much as possible."

"Galing! You have to get away from there let the others handle it!" Luna screeched over the comms.

"I'm out of harm's way," Mercury replied. "And Pheta is here with me."

"Ok, I can try to help with the bone," Mars said. "But, doesn't it need to be set perfectly or the bone may misalign?"

Mercury forced a smile. "Good thing that I trust you, right?"

Sailor Mars let out a nervous exhale. "Ok. Just let me know if I'm hurting you."

"Oh, it's going to hurt...a lot. But we just need to get it in the right place and hold it for a little while."

Mars moved into position. She could still hear the commotion from inside the gym. She frowned. "How the hell are we gonna get out of here?"

* * *

"I really think that you should finish your workout today. It'll teach you a thing or two about stamina!"

Jupiter scowled. "Let me see how long I can continuously pound your face in! That's a good endurance test, right?"

Nephrite smirked. "I can think of a more enjoyable test that includes endurance and pounding!"

"Oh! You are so disgusting!"

"I was talking about sumo training! Looks like a lot of fun to me. I can't help it if dirty things are on your mind!"

During their colorful banter, the two athletes circled each other, throwing punches, dodging, parrying, trying to find an opening. Sailor Jupiter's expression was one of intense focus. When she was facing an opponent on the mat, her goal was to identify their strengths and use them to her advantage. Once she could do that, they would either continue to play into her hands, or rely on their weaker skills. When she looked into Nephrite's eyes she got...well...she got more than one feeling. On the surface, his cocky smile - unflappable, even when taking hits - was really pissing her off. But underneath that, especially with their trash talk, there was this eerie sense of...nostalgia? It didn't make a lot of sense, but...it felt like she had done something like this before!

Nephrite lunged with a straight right hand. Jupiter caught it in her palm. It hurt, but she could take it, and stop his momentum. He countered with his left. She dodged and used the opening to send an elbow into his chest followed by a Muay Thai knee strike. He buckled just a bit. "That was cheap! You're built like one, so fight like a real man!" Nephrite swung again.

Sailor Jupiter dodged and countered with her mouth: "I've heard that one a million times. Get some new material!" At this point, Jupiter had figured out his strategy. "He's not a fighter," she thought to herself. "He has no confidence in anything but punches because he's not trained." An imperceptible smirk came to her face. "You're a one-trick pony!" she taunted. "All you can do is swing and hope that you can connect!"

"One swing is all that I'll need!" Nephrite shot back while throwing a wild punch. Sailor Jupiter easily sidestepped it, letting Nephrite stumble past her. In an instant, Nephrite launched himself into a backflip and landed with his knee exactly where Jupiter had been standing a fraction of a second earlier. He rose. "And I have a few more tricks than you might think." He quickly grabbed her by the wrist and gave a quick shot to her ribs. Jupiter dodged the second attempt, grabbed Nephrite's, arm and stepped into a strong hip toss. Still holding on to him, Jupiter tried to go in for a choke, but two feet to her face knocked her back. They both got to their feet at the same time. Nephrite smiled and took off in a blur. Jupiter stood in place as Nephrite literally ran circles around her. His enhanced speed made it tough for Sailor Jupiter to get a read on him. "Having trouble keeping up? Can't hit a moving target?"

"Just wait." Jupiter stuck out her pointer and pinky fingers, and moved her arms into supreme thunder position. As her antenna began to extend, the blur changed direction and moved towards her. A lightning-quick left hook to the midsection finally slowed Nephrite down. "You're superhumanly fast...but you're not comic book character fast!"

Nephrite sneered and charged back at Sailor Jupiter. The towering senshi deployed excellent parries and followed up with a vicious 5-hit boxing combo, finishing with a powerful uppercut. Nephrite's back found the floor right beside the trampoline. Jupiter once again wasted no time in trying to apply a choke. As she leapt, Nephrite caught her hands so that the two warriors were now palm-to-palm. Sparks crackled around her antenna as electricity moved through her arms. With a roar, Jupiter discharged the shock through her hands. Equally intense was Nephrite's expression as he pressed as hard as he could against Jupiter's hands. The force between the opponents caused the electricity to build and coalesce into an arcing sphere in each hand. With one last push, Jupiter tried to force the shock through Nephrite, but the resulting effect was a powerful explosion that threw her backwards.

After shaking out the cobwebs, Sailor Jupiter brought her knees to her chest and sprung to her feet with a powerful kip-up. She looked towards Nephrite...but he wasn't there. Where cou-

Before she could even process the possibilities, a massive double axe handle to the back of her head knocked her flat, face-first into the floor. "I told you: one swing is all I need." Nephrite walked around her body. "And you have your own flaw: you always go for the choke-out. Easy to set up a counter." Nephrite prepared to turn his attention to figuring out where the one in red must have run off to. But...at his feet, Sailor Jupiter began to stir. Nephrite's face was a mix of crestfallen and incredulous. _That_ didn't knock her out? How was he going to incapacitate her? At that moment, he noticed that he was standing next to the trampoline. He looked up to the drop from the catwalk. If a blow aided by a 30m drop wouldn't knock her out, nothing would. He sprinted towards the wall...but was in a little too much pain for the strain of running straight up, so he went for the stairs. Once he reached the catwalk, he could see the exact angle that he needed to jump from. He needed to build a little speed (but not super speed) and catch the edge of the platform perfectly to push off and add to gravity's work. He took a deep breath and began to mark his steps.

"Burning…"

Beginning his stride, Nephrite wondered: "What was that?"

" _...mandala!_ "

Seemingly from nowhere, discs of fire buzzsawed through the mesh of the catwalk enclosure. Nephrite's smooth gait was now a stumbling attempt to avoid both the flames and the holes that had been created in the walls and the floor.

The commotion helped to rouse Sailor Jupiter from her daze. She looked towards the door. Sailor Mars was leaning against it in a sitting position, as if she had just been blown backwards by something. Looking up, she could tell that Nephrite was coming to attack, but something that Mars had done had knocked him off-balance. Not eager to waste the opportunity for offense, Jupiter got to her feet. Her mind flashed back to the strange phenomenon that occurred when she and Nephrite were palm-to-palm, and the powerful discharge that had resulted. Could she harness that ability for herself? One way to find out! She pressed her hands together as hard as she could, while also passing as much electricity between them as possible.

On the catwalk, Nephrite was approaching his launch point and had just about regained his balance. But on his penultimate step, a support beam damaged by Mars' attack gave way, causing the mesh tunnel to collapse. Nephrite found himself dumped out of the maze, hurtling downward. He had enough athletic ability and awareness to regain control his body during the fall. And he knew that while it would hurt, he would be able to break the fall without injuring himself too badly. Once he had established the safest fall position, his eyes fell on a horrifying sight: Sailor Jupiter, directly below him, with a glowing, arcing orb in her hand. With wide eyes and no defense, Nephrite could only say: " _Vot der'mo_ …"

"Sparkling...wide... _PRESSURE!_ "

With a motion that was part underhand throw and part uppercut, Sailor Jupiter shoved the ball of electricity directly into Nephrite's abdomen. With a blinding flash of light, Nephrite, doubled over from the impact, was launched back into the air before coming down on the trampoline. He bounced off of it and then onto the floor in a smoking, unconscious heap.

Sailor Mars ran over towards the battered Jupiter. Before reaching her, a shiny object caught her eye: Sailor Venus' pin. She picked it up and finished her trek. "You ok?"

Jupiter nodded. "I'll be fine." She turned to her companion: "What was that attack that you used?"

"Oh, it's a variation on my fireball." She blushed ever so slightly. "Jet taught me a form of meditation to manipulate the flame."

Jupiter looked up at the destroyed catwalk. "Effective."

"Yeah...but lucky. I didn't expect it to be so powerful. And I can't aim it worth shit." The pair walked over to where Nephrite was down. "And how did you come up with 'sparkling wide pressure?"

Jupiter returned a confused look. "I said 'white'. The orb was sparkly, white, and created because of pressure."

Mars laughed. "Be more careful with your English. You _clearly_ said 'wide.'"

"Pheta? Madeira? Is everything alright?"

"We're good Galing," Jupiter answered.

"Is everyone ok?" Artemis jumped in. "I haven't heard from E.B. in a while!"

"Hey Galing, can you check on Etoiledor? Something happened with her transformation." Sailor Jupiter looked to the corner. "And I guess that I should free Usagi!"

"Well... _thanks_!" Usagi sarcastically commented.

After liberating Sailor Moon and getting the still woozy Etoiledor to her feet (and calming a blubbering Artemis), the team gathered around the still unconscious Nephrite. After Etoiledor re-transformed, Sailor Moon pulled out the Moon Stick and the group performed the team healing. They were prepared for it this time, but the shock and the visions were identical to that of Jadeite's healing. As Nefrit regained consciousness and worked to a sitting position, Sailor Jupiter knelt beside him.

"How do you feel?"

Nefrit looked around him. He held his head in his hands. " _My gym_! My beautiful Crematory!"

Jupiter gave an offended laugh. "You're welcome!"

Nefrit turned to her. "Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful. I can think clearly. But...still...did you have to destroy my Crematory?"

"Hey, you were the one throwing things around!" Sailor Moon reminded him.

"The force that clouded your mind," Sailor Venus began, "what do you remember about it?"

Nefrit looked far off. "Whatever it was...I gave myself willingly."

Sailor Mars looked angry. "Why would you willingly give yourself over to evil?"

"My dream was dead. I would have done anything to revive it."

Jupiter placed a hand on his shoulder. "But was it worth your soul?"

Nefrit looked her in the eye. "You won't know the price that you're willing to pay until desperation is at your door."

"So you let Queen Beryl give you this power."

Nefrit shot a strange look to Sailor Venus after her question. "...who?"

Jupiter looked taken aback. "Queen Beryl? The one with the influence? The one you were recruiting me for?"

Nefrit slowly shook his head. "No...doesn't sound familiar. I don't know how I got all of this. Like I said, I wasn't thinking clearly. I was aware of it, but just kept doing what I did. But...I don't remember a Beryl."

"Holy crap!" Everyone looked to Sailor Moon after her outburst. Her hands were cupped to her ears as her orbs had activated. "The police are here!"

Mercury shook her head. "This is a bad habit that we're developing."

Sailor Jupiter took a final look at Nefrit down on the ground. Words escaped her. Nefrit gave her a genuine, non-cocky smile. "It's been a busy day. We'll catch up later. We...have a lot to catch up on...I think." With that, Sailor Jupiter nodded and the senshi fled the scene, careful to stay unseen.

* * *

The girls had not even begun to move from the pad before Artemis bounded over into Etoiledor's lap. "E.B.! I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! Are you ok?!"

Etoiledor squeamishly patted the sobbing, tearful, hairy mess. "It's...it's ok. I'll be fine."

Madi jumped to her feet. "Nephrite didn't remember Queen Beryl! What the hell does that mean?!"

"The same thing that it meant with Jet," Wicapiwakan calmly responded. "He only knows that he did wrong. But he can't pinpoint exactly what caused him to do it either." She huffed. "This bitch is good at covering her tracks."

"Excuse me for interrupting," Galing said, "but I believe that Etoiledor and I should go to the hospital."

"I'll ride with you," Wika volunteered. The three of them made their way upstairs and out of Game Center Crown. The remaining four sat down, mentally exhausted.

"What happened out there?" Luna asked.

Usagi shrugged. "Ask Madi. She saved the day."

"No, it was teamwork," Madi corrected. "I couldn't have done it without Wika's help at the end." Her countenance fell. "I just wish that we hadn't gotten so many people hurt...again."

Usagi looked over to her feline companion. "Luna...do you know anything about this Queen Beryl?"

Luna shook her head. "Honestly, Usagi, the only thing that I got was a chill when I heard the name."

"But we know that she's the one responsible for everything!" Madi said. "All of this stuff is linked together through these guys, and they're all linked to her! She's controlling it all!"

Artemis was nodding in thought. "...two more…"

"Two more what?" Usagi asked.

Artemis jumped. "Aah...t-two more...things! There are two more things that I need to check before we go after our next target!"

Madi smiled and rubbed Artemis' head. "You're way too jumpy! Etoiledor is ok! It was rough, but we take care of each other out there!"

Luna looked back to Usagi. "Do you think that you guys can finish the mission? Do you have one more in you?"

Usagi nodded. "I know that we can!" She then looked into the distance. Her mind ran over the battles with Nephrite, Jadeite, and Queen Beryl. They had been trapped. Incapacitated. Concussed. At their attackers' mercy. Almost killed. They had escaped...but not by much. Was it realistic to think that they could they keep this up? "Maybe…"

* * *

Shivering in fear, Zoisite knelt before his queen. After her anger with Jadeite's disappearance, he had no idea what kind of outburst to expect with Nephrite now lost.

"Rise."

The voice was calm and composed. Zoisite lifted his head. Queen Beryl was on her throne, peering into her crystal ball. He stood up. "My-my queen?"

"I had four of them in my grasp. Jadeite came close to finishing them. So did Nephrite. But we all failed. We _all_ underestimated them. That fault ultimately lies with me. You don't have a background in warfare. I do." Without lifting her gaze, she motioned to her side and opened a portal. "Go. Prepare yourself. You're their next target." Zoisite saluted and turned towards the portal. An alert came over his phone. He took it out and read.

"Zoi!"

Beryl raised her eyes. Zoisite had stopped right in front of the portal. "I haven't heard that in a while! What is it?" She leaned in. "Is it... _him_ again?"

"No, my queen."

"Then...what is it?"

Zoisite smiled. "Two very interesting things! Give me some time to confirm and I'll return with a full report!"

Beryl returned to her crystal. "Make it so."

Zoisite stepped through the portal. As the swirl closed behind him, he was now back in his sub-basement office at Z.O.I. Cyber's main building. He immediately jumped on his supercomputer to check his alerts. The first was something that he had suspected for a while: their operations had been hacked. Shipping manifests, dummy corporations, international communications, everything had been accessed. Some entity - no doubt connected to the guardians - had found a way to figure out what they were doing! But, at this point, it appeared that all this party could do was search for information, not change anything. That would make things simple enough. He could deploy his own weapon and deflect their searches. And thanks to the flash drive that was retrieved from the attack on the Tokyo office, he had an excellent idea of how the opponent programmed their tools. He would have loved to hack into their systems and dig out information on their end, but their system was wonderfully complex! Almost...alien!

With that mystery solved, he moved on to the other notification. This led him to the pages of newspapers and crime websites in and around the Arabian Peninsula. His translator made it clear that the figure that he had been searching for was once again active. He laughed softly.

"Found you, _hermano_!"

* * *

With Luna asleep in her bed, Artemis was alone at the computer, doing research for their next mission. The panel at the top of the staircase slid open and a figure quietly descended.

"You should rest," Artemis said without turning around.

"I'm ok," Etoiledor answered. "I can't sleep." She sat down. "Despite everything that we've been through, I still keep thinking about…" She fought back tears.

"It's ok, I understand," Artemis soothed. "And he's a part of this, so as we move forward, we'll find out more about-" A chime caught his attention. His eyes darted over to the icon. Before he could examine it, he was lifted up by the scruff of his neck.

"That's my alert!" Etoiledor exclaimed as she typed in commands with her free hand.

"Uhh...E.B. ...could you let me down?" Etoiledor dropped Artemis on the console and continued searching. With a couple of clicks, the result of the alert was found: a Tweet from Amman with a clear picture of a mysterious figure dressed in a white outfit. The caption read: "Wherever the moonlight shines on evil, a shimmering knight will arrive."

Tears flooded Etoiledor's eyes. Her voice broke:

"...Kunzite!"

* * *

 _Hello! Zoisite here! I won't turn this into a commercial since you already have so much of my software on your phones, computers, and tablets! But I will say: out latest app is by far my favorite! Just give it a try and you'll be playing for hours...and hours...and hours! Naturally, the guardians will once again try to shut down my plans. But to do that, they'll have to prove their mental dexterity. I doubt that any of the can match me...but...maybe the one in blue can sustain my interest. She's intriguing… How will your heroines fare when playing by my rules? You'll see next time with " **Mastermind**."_ Adios!

[Go to **YouTube** and search " **The Radiant Sailor Moon** " for access to **Etoiledor's Playlist**! Did you catch the lyrical allusion from this chapter's title?]


End file.
